Does This Really Need A Title?
by TheFirstWaltz
Summary: I'm not so good at applying chracters to other situations, so this is basically just an alternative ending. YukixTohru. It's rated T for cussing and poor Yuki, who has to share genes with pervs, has some weird thoughts once in ch 4...FINISHED
1. Chapter 1

**Thank you to Ashley Tisdale for writing a song that won't get out of my head that insanely reminds me of Yuki and Tohru. Wow. Ashley Tisdale and thank you in the same sentence. Funny little world, isn't it? Thanks to AssassinedAngel for writing awesome stories.**

**Disclaimer:I don't own any of these characters, but I do own Fruits Basket 2 (manga, not concept). I owned Fruits Basket 1 (manga) but then my idiot brother went and lost it at a showing of Wicked...I hate his guts...**

Chapter 1: No Title. Well, There You Go.

Yuki was just for once trying to say Tohru's name instead of Honda-san. He had tried when the brunette had awoken from his shell of a sheet. But the word "Tohru" had firmly remained in his mouth and demanded an extra fifteen minutes of sleep. Yuki stretched and ran his hand through his silver tussled hair as Tohru cheerfully swept from the room, narrowly missing the door and Shigure, who somehow always had the time to watch Tohru bend over in her short school uniform to wake up Yuki. Pervert. Then he had looked over at his alarm clock. it was six in the morning. His brain flopped over and went back to sleep. Waaaaay to early to be up. But then he had realized that Tohru must have something special planned if she was going to wake him up early. So reluctantly Yuki emerged from his bed, an hour ahead of schedule, and started a slow walk towards the bathroom. A shower. That's what he needed. A shower. But when he had tried to walk into the bathroom, something hit him. Yuki peered at the bathroom, semi-conciously aware that there was a door in his way. How'd that get there? Shigure was downstairs following Hon-Tohru around like the shameless dog he was, and that meant...

"Go away, you damn rat!"

_Stupid cat_.

"Get out, you stupid cat! I need to shower!"

"Forget it, pretty boy! I'm using it. Use the one downstairs!"

_Oh well. At least I asked politely._

Tohru ran up the stairs when she heard the crash and steady curses that followed. Both Yuki and Kyo looked up at the sight of the pale girl popping up. Kyo blushed darkly, realizing he wearing a towel, and Yuki cleanly took the opportunity to kick him in the chest towards his room. Tohru fluttered worriedly around the downed teen, but Kyo just flushed even darker and slammed his room door shut in her face. She let her head and hands drop, and slumped her shoulders. Yuki saw the opportunity and seized it. He smiled slightly, and said softly, "He'll be fine, Thorndu-sa." Tohru jumped, as if she had forgotten Yuki was there and reeled around. Yuki flinched at his obvious massacre of her name on the inside, but graciously bowed nonetheless. "Good Morning, Honda-san." Tohru blushed and returned the bow and stammered, "Go-good morning, Yuki-kun!" Inner Yuki started rambling on about her innocence, obvious obliviousness, whether chosen or not, and those wide, pure eyes. Outer Yuki excused himself and took his shower. Stupid cat had used up all the hot water.

After carefully stepping out of the shower, Yuki reached through the steam for a towel, finding a dry one that he suspected was his. He proceeded to dry his hair, wondering whether or not he should cut it; he was really starting to look like a girl. But then he detected the flash of red against the silver on his head. He froze. His towel was blue. Slowly he lifted the towel from his head and stared, dumb-struck at it. It was Tohru's towel. _Oh. Crap._ A familiar call strained up the stairs. "Yuki-kun! Breakfast!" _Oh. Double Crap. _But then Tohru called out and afterthought. "Do you need help with your tie? I'm coming!" Since Yuki had kicked in the door in order to get the cat out of the bathroom, there was no longer a door. _Oh. Triple Crap. _

Yuki threw down Tohru's towel, which wasn't really _that_ wet, and scrambled into his room. He had barely managed to pull on his uniform before Tohru knocked softly and entered. Yuki basked in her warmth and said, "I'm not quite ready for you to do my tie, but if Honda-san would do it later, I would be very happy." _Happy to be so close to you_. Tohru's eyes opened even more and her lips parted to deliver an apology, but there was something else in Yuki's comment that she wasn't sure about. And his uniform was getting wet. "Yuki-kun! Your uniform is wet! Did I not put it up to dry when I washed it? I'm so sorry!." But on the inside, she knew that Yuki had a different reason for his uniform sticking to his skin. She had interrupted him in the middle of his shower, and he was trying to not make her feel bad. He was truly a prince, eve if he denied it frequently. Tohru wanted to pull him close and whisper a thanks but that stone wall of the curse prohibited her from doing such things. So Tohru just flushed and left Yuki to dry off and change.

"See you downstairs, Yuki-kun."

"Wait, Honda-san." _I want to see those eyes once more._

"Do you need help?" _I want, no need, to retreat. It's obvious Yuki-kun isn't going to tell me what's wrong. _

"Good luck on today's Math test." _Very nice, I managed to remind her of the one thing she's been stressing over for a week. But I have to see those eyes, just to get out of bed in the morning. Or else it isn't worth it. Face it, I'm addicted._

"Oh no! The test! Yuki-kun, what time is it?"

"Seven."

Tohru turned tail and rushed back downstairs. Yuki began to take of the soaked uniform but his mind, not unlike Tohru's, was somewhere else. _What did I do now?_ He automatically left his tie loose in his hand, so that Tohru could tie it, but when he came downstairs, Tohru was scurrying about, to worried about the test to even think properly. However, after Yuki had sat down to eat breakfast, she plopped down next to him, and reached for his tie that was next to his bowl of rice. "Yuki-kun, would you like me to do your tie for you?" _That is about how close I get to getting held by you_. "Of course, Tohru." Both Yuki and Tohru's eyes widened and Tohru stammered, "W-what?" Inner Yuki celebrated. _Finally_. "I said Tohru. Isn't that your name?" Tohru nodded, getting caught up in the lightly sarcastic gray eyes. She pulled on Yuki-kun's tie, but was shocked when she realized it wasn't even around his neck. Blushing, she put her arms around his neck to slip the tie under his collar. Yuki also blushed, but lightly, as a warm finger slipped on the cotton and for a moment, trailed across his neck. _This is what I get up in the morning for._ Tohru started forming the knot, leaning toward him to make sure it was straight. _This is what I get up in the morning for._ After what seemed like a day, she pulled the knot and it forced Yuki's face closer to hers. Brown and gray both quickly tried to cover their emotions. _This is my moment._ "Tohru," Yuki said quietly, "I-"

As always, Shigure chose the wrong moment to skip in for his breakfast. "Naughty, naughty, Yuki! You can't kiss my little flower!" Yuki pulled away quickly, and said, "Shigure, if I recall, Mimi-san is coming over to check on your new story." The teasing smile slid right off Shigure's face. "Oh no!" Shigure picked up his food and hurried into his office. Yuki turned back to Tohru, who was hiding her red face in her hands. Yuki hesitantly reached out and tipped her face up, and Tohru removed her hands. Both thought, "_This is definitely what I get up in the morning for." _Yuki tried again. "Tohru, I-"

"YOU KNOW, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BREAK DOWN THE FREAKIN' DOOR, YOU DAMN RAT!" _Fucking cat_. Tohru looked behind Yuki as Kyo entered the room, paled, flushed, and dropped the textbook he was holding. "Ky-Kyo-kun! I have breakfast ready..." But at the look of annoyance on Kyo's face, her sentence drifted off. Yuki stood up, smiled politely, and said, "We have to go if we want to get to school early, Tohru." Kyo strode over to him and yelled, "WHAT THE _HELL_ WERE YOU DOING?" Tohru stood up as well, and decided to take the dishes into the kitchen. _I wish they would stop fighting, but it seems almost impossible_. Yuki didn't even reply, just punched Kyo in the face and walked off to help Tohru wash the dishes. _It isn't his business, unless he already confessed to Tohru. Which he hasn't._ But Outer Yuki knew that it really was his business. As the last bowl was out in its place, the clock struck seven forty-five. Right on schedule. The three went to school, where Tohru went to join her friends. That gave Yuki his chance.

"You really like Tohru, right Kyo?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"It does."

"Look pretty boy, I have class to get to. If you're going to ask me cryptic questions or whatever, at least do somewhere where I can punch you."

"Like you'd ever do that; you suck at martial arts."

"Dammit, one day I will! I'll get to sink my fist into that damn pretty face of yours and break it!"

"Keep dreaming, you idiot."

"DAMN RAT! GO AWAY ALREADY BEFORE I MAKE YOU!"

"If you can."

"YOU WANNA GO? WELL, DO YA?"

"_What_ are you _talking_ about?"

Kyo shut up when he realized every person with forty feet of the cousins was watching, many with a shocked look on their face. Flushing, Kyo retreated to class. Yuki, after a moment, followed him. Their teacher hadn't begun her lecture, but instead was brandishing a box with little slips of paper in it. "New seats, class!" Everyone groaned. Since their old teacher, Mayu-sensei, had suddenly quit out of exasperation, the new teacher they had was unpredictable and bubbly. Not to mention nuts.

Yuki and Kyo were the first to draw. Kyo got 4, next to Uo in the front row. Yuki was relieved to see that he had received number 31, both in the very back and by a window, where he could drift away to his heart's content. But the question was _who would get number 32?_ Whoever that was, he'd have to put up with by himself, as these were rows of five, by himself until their teacher changed their seats. Seats 31 and 32 could either be paradise or hell. Or neither. Tohru and Minami drew their slips of paper. Minami paled at the number 3 on her slip of paper, and tried to use a pen to alter it to 32. But she was stuck next to Kyon-Kyon. Tohru opened her eyes and stared down at her slip that really said 32. So she picked up her school-bag and moved into the very back next to Yuki. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, but only with half his heart. _How can I tell her? How can I make her choose who she likes more? _He hadn't smiled like he did in the garden for maybe three months now. Tohru was beginning to get worried that she'd done something. _Tohru's sitting in 32. Now this is paradise. This is what I get up in the morning for. _

Tohru opened her desk, and found a note in it. Curious, she opened it, and recognized the rounded handwriting of Hana-chan. "I felt that you would sit here. Good luck with Prince Yuki. He does seems kinda down this fine morning, you know? I know you can fix it. Look up. Now." Tohru obediently looked up just in time to see Yuki-kun quickly move his eyesight away from her. He was blushing, delicate areas of pink on otherwise porcelain skin. But there wasn't just affection in his eyes that'd she'd seen. _Almost like looking at something he can't have, like yearning, but more pure. What is Yuki thinking about? Certainly not me; I'm just his housekeeper. But...still...he looked so sad. And he was blushing when he turned away. Yuki; you can tell me anything...anything because I'd listen. I'd listen to anything you have to say. Because I love you and your lack or organizational skill. I love tying your tie in the morning. I love it when we eat lunch by ourselves because Kyo and Shigure are out. I love our secret base where we grow such beautiful things. Such beautiful things, Yuki, so beautiful._ "Honda-san! Honda-san! Can you tell me what the capital of Germany is?" Tohru jumped out of her daze and everyone nearby sniggered. _There went Miss Dream-a-lot again. _"Oh, um...Berlin?" The teacher nodded satisfaction and turned toward Minami, who didn't know the answer because she was staring longingly at Yuki. Then Tohru opened her notebook and started to write. But her mind wandered, as it usually does.

By the time the bell had rung, she unknowingly drawn a perfect portrait of Yuki, his silver hair blowing in the slight wind that managed to enter the classroom, and glowing like winter dawn. Every crease in his shirt was there and every eyelash was in its place. And try as she might, Tohru couldn't erase it because she had been using a pen. It would mere seconds before Yuki would turn around and see the embarrassing portrait open on her desk. But Yuki merely stretched, his eyes closed and arms stuck up in the air before he turned back to the window and looked out at the sea of green flora that hid the gray buildings underneath. Tohru seized the moment and stuffed the notebook into her desk before Yuki turned to her and said,"Our Math Test is after lunch, Honda-san." For a moment Tohru was shocked that Yuki had changed back to "Honda-san". But then she remembered that they were at school and therefore didn't speak to each other _that _way. "R-right, Sohma-kun." Yuki smiled at her open face and turned back to his notebook in front of him. Try as he might, he couldn't duplicate that face onto paper. It was like trying to cage a bird with a net three times to small. Partly because he just couldn't draw. But mostly, it was his hesitation to force such a bird into the cage. He was glad that Tohru hadn't chosen to ask to look at his notes. He sighed softly and closed the notebook on another failed attempt at her portrait. _She's so cute when she's spaced out. Well, cute anytime, but particularly then. Tohru, how can I tell you?_ Tohru reached into her school-bag and pulled out a three-person obento as the last classmate filed out to enjoy the perfect day. "Shall we eat in here, Sohma-kun?" Yuki nodded and pushed his desk next up to hers. Kyo came into the classroom and pulled up a chair across from the two in the middle and pulled out his chopsticks from the obento.

"So, Tohru, what's in your head now?"

"Nothing really...um...Sohma-kun."

"Dammit! I _told _you already not to call me that!"

"R-right, it's just that, we're in school, and..."

"And it doesn't matter right now, unless Pretty Boy's Fan Club is spying on us."

Yuki looked over at the classroom door suspiciously. His stupid fan club would do something just like that. So he stood up suddenly, and padded over to the door, not making a sound. Tohru watched him with a confused look look on her face, but that was there to cover up her admiration of his fluidity. _If only I weren't so clumsy; then maybe things would be different at the house. For starters, Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun wouldn't have to pretend to care about me. I can tell that I'm just putting food on their tables and taking out the trash for them. But sometimes..it's almost like I matter to them...but then I know I don't...how could I? _Yuki stood up from his crouched position, and flung open the sliding door. Four girls fell backward, and Motoko abruptly dropped the camcorder she was holding. _I am so not in the mood for these shallow idiots. _Motoko quickly snatched the camcorder, and stuttered, "P-Prince Yuki! Um, Minami here forgot something in her desk, and we just came to get it..." The lightly veiled disgust on Yuki's face shut her up. She'd never seen her Prince in such a mood.

"What'd she forget...her textbook?"

"Her what? Oh Yeah! She needs it."

"It's lunch. she doesn't need anything as she has her in lunch right over there."

Yuki pointed to the dangerously pink obento lying against the wall, labeled quite clearly,"Minami-chan's Lunch!" The silly thing even had crude drawing of (shudder) Yuki on it. Some very intimate. _These girls have to know their limit. _Minami smacked her head over-enthusiastically and cried in a high pitched voice, "How silly of me! My obento was right there _the entire time_!"

"Yeah. Whatever. Excuse me."

"Wait! Prince Yuki!"

(Door slams shut in girls' faces)

"I'm sorry, Tohru, Kyo, I had to take care of some of my fan girls. They really are annoying sometimes."_ Shallow bitches, fucking up my life whenever they can. I wish they'd just go away. But since I used to encourage them, before Tohru, they have to pop in at the exact wrong moment and ruin everything._

"Well, I made everybody's favorite onigiri for lunch today! For Kyo-kun, codfish, for Yuki-kun, leeks and chicken, and for me..." _I can't exactly tell them that I made myself the Sohma Special, which is strawberries and a pickled plum. That would embarrass all of us._"...my favorite!"

"Yeah, yeah, just pass me my stupid onigiri already."

"Stupid cat, thank her for making lunch."

"I don't have to! Damn rat! You think you can boss me around but you can-"

Yuki had stuck a leek and chicken onigiri into Kyo's mouth. Which immediately caused the cat to spit it out and quickly thank Tohru for the food, before trying to wash the taste of leeks out of his mouth with codfish. Tohru frowned at the light violence, but didn't act, just bit down on the onigiri. The sweetness of home-grown strawberries erupted in her mouth, and then a tart bubble popped into more sweetness in the center. That was the plum. Yuki didn't even have a chance to bite into his own food before his senses for Tohru took over. _Her favorite onigiri is strawberries with a pickled plum? Odd, but I guess it would taste good, if you like surprises. But here I am eating a bland onigiri that I've eaten almost my entire life. Just like me, bland and not one bit different from the rest. I meet expectations with ease and never was meant to shine. But when I'm packed in an obento with Tohru's onigiri, I really do try. She's stuck something new in every different one of my onigiri. This one has plums in it. And it's good. She makes me seem interesting. _

Yuki finished his last onigiri and slowly, thoughtlessly, licked the chopsticks to taste the last good particles of rice, soaked in the juices from his onigiri. Tohru blushed deeply, her eyes almost following his tongue, and the silver-haired teen finally put down the chopsticks and smiled over at the brunette. Kyo just continued to chew rebelliously on his onigiri, watching Tohru smile back, and, then, almost shyly, she picked up the chopsticks to replace them into the obento. _I want to keep these, although I know it's kind of creepy. But to part with something like this would be criminal. _Yuki glanced at the wooden chopsticks wrapped up in a piece of cloth. _Why is she keeping those? Maybe we've run out of disposable chopsticks. I must ask her if I can take her to the store. Finally: something to look forward to. _Tohru gave the disposable chopsticks a comforting smile, and then shut the obento protectively. Kyo just stood up and threw away his chopsticks; it was obvious that she only wanted that damn rat's chopsticks anyway.

"Yuki-kun? Can I talk to you a second? In the hallway?" _I have to tell him._

"Sure, Tohru." _I can't get enough out of saying her name, it's addictive._

"Sure, lovebirds, don't mind me."

"Oh, sorry Kyo-kun. But I really do need to speak to Yuki-kun." _Is my love really that obvious?_

"Come on, Tohru, leave the stupid cat to sulk by himself."

"Why would he do something like that?"

"Never mind, Tohru, let's go."

He led Tohru down the hall until they were by the girl's locker room. Maybe there they might avoid Kyo or other people.

"So, Tohru, what did you want to tell me?"

"Um...it's just that...well...you seem sad. Are you alright?" _I can't tell him. Not to his face._

"No, not really. But now that we're here, I need to tell you something." _I have to tell her. I have to._

"W-what?" _No way! Is he going to...would he?_

"Tohru,I-"

"Prince Yuki!"

"Oh, hello, Motoko-senpai, Minami-san." _Goddamn fucking bitches popped up right on que. I wish they'd just piss off and go to hell instead of having fucking orgasms whenever I come near._

"What are you doing with Tohru in that position?"

Yuki blushed, realizing he was caging Tohru against the wall with his two arms, facing her with their eyes, but more importantly, their lips, only nanometers apart. Their noses weren't touching, but their foreheads were. _She smells like strawberries and vanilla_. Maybe that was why Tohru was blushing like she was suddenly trying to be a strawberry herself. Maybe not. Yuki sprang off of her and turned smoothly to his fan girls.

"Motoko-senpai, Minami-san, I was-"

To Yuki's immense relief and the two fan girl's immense disappointment, the bell rang, and Yuki managed to drag a very red Tohru away without having to explain. Minami trailed behind, trying not to believe that her Prince was about to kiss Tohru, or, even worse, already had. Tohru reached out with her hand not being held by Yuki, and quickly straightened the loosened knot it Yuki's tie. He barely noticed, but it meant something to her. And him, although he couldn't show it without sweeping the pale girl into a kiss. _And that is something I can't do. She loves that stupid cat more. _

_(You should really listen to Kiss The Girl (Ashley Tisdale version) over and over through out this chapter)_

**Okay. That was the first chapter! Sorry it's short, but I just don't have the time to write epic chapters like other people. Please Review! (P.S. I'm new, but don't be kind and lie cuz that doesn't help me at all) And sorry about Yuki-kun's language, he's just kinda down at the moment, cuz he can tell that Tohru loves Kyo-kun just as much, or even more. o Oh! And I'm not sure about those being everyone's favorite onigiri, so correct me if I'm wrong. And I AM an AVID Yukiru follower, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT THIS BEING A KYORU STORY, CUZ IT ISN'T. PERIOD. Remember to review. If flames are necessary, they are welcome. But just because your life sucks, do NOT take it out on me. Oh, and along with this, NO LEMONS. EVER. I HAVE written lemons before, but I don't like Lemons anyway. Oyasumi! or Sayonara! **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! I am now officially 13, and so am ready to take on the pain. Average stuff about Ashley Tisdale's Kiss The Girl (Shalalalalalalala my oh my)(get out of my head, dammit!). Thank you AssassinedAngel for generally helping me into fanfic world.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fruits Basket characters, but I DID own Furuba 1 (manga), until SOMEONE LOST IT. Yes, I am STILL mad about that. Must kill brother one day...**

**And I DO own their teacher, whose name is Keiko Miyazoma, although her name hasn't come up yet.**

Chapter 2:There Wasn't A Title For The First Chapter, and You Honestly Thought I Might Have One For The Second Chapter? You Are Wrong, Smart One.

Minami was the last person into the classroom, and therefore was the one responsible for cleaning the room after school. _But I don't care about that. As long as my Yuki is here to help me. _Every fan girl's dream: a half hour alone with the Prince, who had offered to help her. For the fifth time that class, Minami dropped her pencil, her eyes glazed over with stars. Kyo rolled his eyes and picked it up for the fifth time. _What is up with her? She's one of pretty boy's fan girls, right? So, what, is she dreaming of something about that damn rat? Damn Yuki, he's even better in the unrequited love department. _In sync with his thoughts, Kyo turned in his seat and stared, or rather, glared at the teen in the back. The rat was bent over his work, hair obscuring his face from Kyo's view. And then, as if he'd felt Kyo's glare, the _perfect _teen looked up and literally shot death back. When pretty boy glared, he really glared. _Damn rat._ Kyo turned back towards the front and received a well-spirited whack from their sporadic teacher, who sang out, "Now, Now, Kyon-Kyon. Let's keep our eyes on me, not your girlfriend." Yuki's eyes flashed cold fire and he said bluntly, "I'm a boy, sensei, and his name is _Kyo_. Not Kyon-Kyon." Their teacher sputtered out an apology, and then turned back to the chalkboard. Yuki added, almost as if he'd rehearsed it, "And even so, he's my cousin, so he's no boyfriend of mine." Their teacher dropped her chalk. Sweetly, she said in that same voice, "Sohma-kun? That little remark of yours just earned you're parents a little chat with me."

"Try if you want, but Shigure would probably just spend most of the time spaced out, thinking erotic thoughts. He's a certified pervert, you see. Well, he calls himself a novelist, but Kyo and I just call him pervert, because it's easier to understand." _I have to stop her from coming over to the house at all costs._

"Sohma-kun! A week of detention! And I'm still chatting with your, um, Shigure-san tonight after school!"

"Suit yourself, sensei. Don't say I didn't warn you..." _Oh well, one more mind to erase, Hatori._

"Kyon-Kyon!"

"I'm Kyo, dammit!"

"Fine. Kyo-kun, what is the square root of one hundred and sixty-nine!"

"Wait. What?"

"Answer me, Kyo-kun!"

"Thirteen-but-"

"Multiply that by the square root of forty-nine!"

"Um-seven-multiply-ninety-one,but-"

"Honda-san! Divide that by one forth!"

"What? Oh. Um, three hundred and-and...sixteen?"

"WRONG! Sohma-who-isn't-a-girl-kun, what's the answer!"

"Three hundred and sixty-four. Stop taking out your anger on us, sensei."

"NONSENSE! Why would I do something like that?"

"Because your fiance left you last night and your trying to blame someone else other than you. And your pay just got lowered because of textbook costs, and you're running late on your bills. I know, so quit trying to grill us already."

Teacher dropped her new piece of chalk.

"H-How did you know?" All of the joy seeped out of her voice, and she turned white.

"You hear things when you're class president."

Yuki shrugged his shoulders at the shocked class and looked back down at the worksheet. Sighing at the stifling silence in the classroom, he finished the last problem and tucked the paper away into his school-bag at his side. He finally noticed that everyone was staring at him in respectful awe, and said coldly, "What?" The class slowly returned to normal, but was asked just to work on its homework silently as their teacher was taken to the head's office after one student had finally went and fetched another teacher to guide her away. Tohru stared at Yuki's face as he drew aimlessly on his folder. Almost lovingly, he wrote something on the folder. Milky tears fought for freedom. One escaped, but was quickly wiped away. Yuki crossed out the name with steady strokes, and looked up to meet Tohru's eyes. _Look at me, Tohru. Look at this hopeless rat, scavenging about in other's lives just to make his seem better. And it doesn't help. Not without your insight. Look at me. _He didn't even smile, just returned his attentions to his folder without another sound. But more tears found freedom,but were ushered away once again. He drew a smiling version of himself on the folder. It didn't even look like him, but the conveyed concept was clear enough. Without moving, his lips considered replicating the wide grin on his folder. And then they decided not too. Tohru reached across the small foot between their desks, and cautiously touched Yuki's arm. _Something's wrong here. Yuki-kun never cries. Not around others. _Yuki looked up sharply, almost inhumanly, but quickly gained his usual composure. Tohru leaned across the space between their desks and opened her mouth, but Yuki spoke first.

"Do you need something, Honda-san?"

"Not really, Sohma-kun, but what's wrong?"

Almost as if she could read Yuki's thoughts, the brunette looked down at the folder on his desk. Her brown eyes, so clear but still layered with concern, quickly spotted the smiling face drawn on the gray folder. _It's almost as if he wishes he could smile. I know you can, Yuki-kun, and so do you. _Tohru murmured, "Oh, Yuki-kun..." Yuki watched, paralyzed by her presence, as she turned her face minutely to look at the other things he'd put on his folder. To steady herself, she coiled an arm around the most rigid thing available, which just happened to be Yuki's waist. _What are you doing Tohru? _Finally, she spotted the black square of pen that her name hid beneath, and said softly, "What's that, Yuki-kun?"

"Nothing Tohru, just a rectangle I drew. We are taking geometry, are we not?"

"Oh."

Her arm wound even tighter around Yuki's waist as she leaned farther towards him to see the far edge of the folder. Both held their breath, and Tohru slowly looked up at Yuki's stone face. He broke out of the stone and murmured himself, "Tohru, I-"

"Tohru, what are you doing?" A flat voice cut into the rat's confession, and Tohru fell out of her chair with a crash. But her arm remained quite firmly on Yuki's waist, pulling him out of his seat as well, with an encore crash that gained the attention of the class, which didn't really want to do the stupid math homework anyway.

"H-Hana-chan! You scared me!"

"Hanajima-san..."

Hana-chan was twisted in her seat number 30, staring at what everyone else was staring at; the Prince and Miss Dream-a-lot sprawled on the ground, with both of Tohru's arms slung around the Prince's waist, and his arms cushioning her head from the tile floor. Hana-chan smiled to herself secretly and turned back to her work. Uo and Kyo both stood up and yelled, "WHAT THE _HELL _ARE YOU DOING, PRINCE CHARMING?" Shocked, the two turned and started to yell at each other. Minami shrank against her seat, and thought, _Save me, my Prince! _And then, almost if he'd heard her, Yuki was suddenly in the front. Smartly, he kicked Kyo in the chest and sent him flying against the classroom door.

"Kyon-Kyon, you need to work on your guard. It really does suck. Uotoni-san, it was a mistake. We weren't doing anything, and then Hanajima-san scared us."

"Alright Prince Charming, I'll drop it just this once."

"DAMMIT, PRETTY BOY! QUIT DOING THAT!"

"I would, but you're such an idiot, you deserve it. And if you improved your guard-"

"MY GUARD ISN'T THE ISSUE HERE! YOU'RE SUCH A COLD-SKINNED BASTARD THAT-"

"Stuff it. You're guard sucks, and that's you're problem, besides you're blatant stupidity. So fix it if you want to fight me."

"STOP ACTING LIKE YOU KNOW MORE!"

"Ahhhh, but I do."

"YOU-"

"Prince Yuki! Oh thank you for saving me!"

"My pleasure, Minami-san." _Did I just say my pleasure? Oh crap. I'll never hear the end of this._

"Please! Call me Minami!" _WAAAAAAAH! He just said it was his pleasure! He loves me!_

"Oh. Um...well..." _Oh double crap. What have I done?_

"Please?" _Say it, my Prince. Say my name._

"I-I can't. I just can't."

"Prince Yuki! Please call me Minami!"

"Mi-Minami. Okay. There. I said it. Now please stop clinging to me like that. Let me go back to my seat."

Minami fainted with excitement as Yuki disengaged her fingers from his shirt. _Please call me Minami! Yeah. Whatever. It tasted like dirt saying it. The only girl I'll ever do that for willingly is Tohru._ Kyo hoisted up the prone fan girl by her armpits, and said flatly, "Oi, you. Get up already. It's not like he confessed or anything." Minami opened her eyes and stared up at the cat without a sense of recognition. "Your eyes...they're pretty..." She smiled blissfully as Kyo dropped her again, but the feeling of cold tile on her face woke her up completely. "Oh. Kyon-Kyon...what did I just say to you?"

"As far as I'm concerned, you never said a single word to a Kyon-Kyon. I'm Kyo." _Damn nickname._

"Okay. Kyo-kun, what did I just tell you? Something about amber...wasn't it?"

"No. You said my eyes were pretty."

"Oh no! I mean, they are pretty, but I like Prince Yuki. Well, um, wow...you're hair's pretty too. Did you dye it that color?"

"No, dammit. It's my natural color. Are you high again, or what?"

"No! It's just, well, you're so _pretty_."

"I'M WHAT?"

"Oh crap! Did I just say that out loud? WAH! I' m sorry, Kyon-Kyon!"

"I'm Kyo, goddamit!"

Minami had turned a blotchy dark red, and Kyo had done the same. Yuki looked at them wryly from his desk. _Oh. Great. The perfect couple. _Something moved in the corner of his eye, and he turned and stared straight at Tohru's uniform. Flustered, he looked up and said, "What is it, Honda-san?"

"Sohma-kun, class has been over for a half hour. Isn't it time for gym?"

"Um, yeah. CLASS D! WE'RE ALL LATE FOR GYM! PLEASE ORDERLY GET TO OUR NEXT CLASS!"

The class streaked out of the room at mach 12, and ran for the locker-rooms to change. But Yuki took his time. _After all, we're already late. What does a few extra minutes make? _And that was when he saw Haru, leaning against Yuki's locker, waiting for him. Yuki rolled his eyes, and strolled up to his cousin.

"What is it now, Haru?"

"I hear you got detention. Congrats."

"Thank you. So much. Why does it matter?"

"From experience, I know that your teacher is going to talk with your guardian. That's Shigure, you realize."

"Don't worry, I warned her already. But apparently, being alone with a pervert doesn't seem to matter as much as her talking to Shigure about how she called me a girl _and _that cat's girlfriend."

"Oh. I heard about that too. Shigure's going to love that. So, when did you two start going out?"

"Shut up, you stupid ox."

"Yuki! How dare you say such things to me! But since you're my first love, I'll let it pass."

"Please stop acting like falling in love with you male cousin is normal."

"But I loved you!"

"Yeah, yeah. By the way, why aren't you in class?"

"My senses for you were tingling."

"Un-huh. You're lost again, aren't you?"

"I prefer "misguided" or even "confused", but never lost, my Yuki."

"I already told you about talking to me like that. You're classroom is down one floor, and three doors down on the right side."

"Bye Yuki. Oh, and about Tohru..."

"What about her?"

"We'll talk later, my love."

"Please. Stop calling me that, or I'll never talk to you again."

"Oh Yuki! You kill my heart with every word!"

"You sound like Shigure. Now get back to class before Momiji hugs some girl, god forbid."

"If you insist."

Haru swaggered away, and promptly attained a confused look on his face.

"Um, where is my classroom again?"

"Down one floor, three doors to your right."

Finally, Haru disappeared down the stairs, and Yuki turned back towards the locker room, which was about a hundred feet away. The girl's locker room door opened, and Tohru, still in her school uniform, slipped out. She walked into the empty classroom across the way, and shut the door. Yuki, curious and worried, followed her. "Tohru, are you alright? Oh..." Tohru froze, and turned around to face Yuki. She looked down at her bra, and then up again. "Oh, Yuki-kun. Um, the locker room was full, so I was going to change in here...can you come back in a minute?" Yuki had turned bright red, and couldn't move. _Oh. Shit. _"Yuki? You're not breathing. And you're red! Do you have a fever?" Tohru, completely forgetting, of course, her exposure, rushed over and fluffed up Yuki's bangs to feel his forehead. "You are a little warm..." Tohru suddenly remembered her position, clothing-wise, and flushed. "I-I'm sorry...one second..." She turned away, removing her cool hand from Yuki's forehead and started to walk back to her uniform shirt. But Yuki's hand shot out on its own accord and grabbed her arm. She froze, brown hair swirling everywhere and hiding her face. Almost as if he were watching, and not participating, Yuki observed his arm guiding her hand back to his forehead. Tohru turned to him and was pulled closer, as close as she could be without her touching his chest, triggering the curse. His free hand cupped her face, but he almost couldn't feel it. Trembling, she raised up on her tip toes and lips met. _Finally._ A word rang through Yuki's head as he snapped back into his body, but he felt as if he wasn't the only one saying it. It was almost like the kiss was connecting Tohru's thoughts to his. And then, like the end of a song, the kiss ended. Shocked faces tried to read each other. And then Tohru ripped her hand away and stumbled over to her uniform's shirt. _Did I really just kiss Yuki? _Yuki didn't move, but his mind was racing his heart, and was barely winning. _She kissed me. Or did I just imagine it? But how could I imagine something like that? I'm not that creative, not at all. Did she jut call me Yuki? _"You'd better go change, Yuki, um, kun. Or you'll be the last one to gym."

"Um, yeah. See you in gym, Tohru."

A door slid open, and shut again. Tohru tugged on her gym uniform, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. But her eyes were glazed over. _Poor Yuki. I love you, but how can I force it upon you? But maybe... _Yuki's eyes, half closed, hooded by eyelashes. She could count every one of them. _Just maybe..._ His lips barely against hers, at first relaxed, then receptive. _Just maybe...Yuki loves me too._

**End of Chapter 2! Yay! Okay, no comment except that I wrote this in one day. I had a enlightenment. As soon as I get a Deviantart account, I might post some pictures from this story, which I still haven't named...oh well. Sayonara, or Oyasumi! . **


	3. Chapter 3

**It's 12:07, and I'm drastically procrastinating! Go me! Anyway, I have no clue what to do on this decrepit Friday night. So here I am, listening to Of Montreal and writing this story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. And honestly, the only reason why I'd want to own Fruits Basket is to make Kyo end up with Uo and Yuki with Tohru. I mean, well, duh. In all the montages in every single book and episode, who always comes first? Yuki. Um, does Tohru have things to figure out? Yeah. YOU LIE NATSUKI TAKAYA!!! Oh. Any type of Nabe is a casserole, for further knowledge. pronounced nah-BAY not naybe.**

Chapter 3: By Now You Do Know That There Will Never Be A Title, Smart One.

Gym class was mainly composed of their teacher, Keiko-sensei, apologizing profusely to them and to the gym teacher. But that was fine, because it allowed Tohru to space out, which was desperately needed on her part, especially since she was starting to get a little confused. However much Yuki wanted to join her in distracted thought process, he was currently being shrouded in awe for his exposing summary of Keiko-sensei's life. And on top of that, Keiko chose to apologize to him the most. _I know you're life sucks, sensei, but can you please stop apologizing about it? You called me a girl, that's all. Crap, I guess I really do need my hair cut._

"Sensei-"

"-And I didn't really mean to say you're with Kyon-Kyon-"

"Sensei, he's Kyo, and really it's all-"

"Oh GOD! I'm so SORRY that I thought you were a girl-"

"SENSEI."

"-Because your hair is so long, and let's face it, you are pretty-Um, what?"

"It's fine. Just next time take the day off to figure your life out."

"Sohma-kun?"

"Yes sensei?"

"You can't grant me that, you have no authority."

"Oh. Right."

"Remember I'm meeting with your Shigure-san after school today."

"Alright."

The class sniggered as their teacher turned to Kyo and continued her rambling apology. Yuki sighed and removed himself to the edge of the throng where Tohru stood, her eyes glazed. Quietly, he walked up next to her and stared at her face. _How can she be so careless? I'm such a zombie most of the time; I never actually relax. Never. _Suddenly the gym teacher clapped his hands together and gave instructions to end class on the high note of their Keiko-sensei fainting away right into the waiting arms of the other present teachers, who took her away in self-induced hysterics. With a jump, Tohru snapped out of her thoughts and looked around, confused of her surroundings until Yuki said softly, "We have to change back, Honda-san. What's in your head?"

"Um, Y-Yuki! Wait. Yuki-KUN! No, um, Sohma-kun! You startled me. I was just thinking about what I should serve Keiko-sensei for dinner when she comes over. What do you think about tofu nabe and french bread? I know that's a little odd, but that how my mom always served tofu nabe...so I guess I'll have to go to the store."

"That's right. Do we need anything else? Like chopsticks?"

"Chopsticks? No...I don't think so." _Oh no. He saw me at lunch._

Yuki looked slightly perplexed, but didn't question further. He glanced over at the entrance to the gym and started walking towards it. A flash of white quickly disappeared out of sight by the door-frame. _One day, I must kill Haru. _Tohru stumbled to catch up and also turned her attention to the gym's entrance. She couldn't tell what Yuki was staring at, but she didn't think he'd tell her anyway. _After all, I am their house-keeper. _Suddenly, Yuki spun on his heels and stopped right in front of Tohru.

"Did you really mean it?"

"I'm sorry Sohma-kun. Did I mean what?"

"The kiss. Did you mean it?" _Great. Now I turn red and she tells me she loves Kyo. Then I die. Here it comes._

"Um, what kiss?" _Oh no. I'm blushing. I know he can tell I'm pretending like I'm clueless. But he's so much better then me, how can I tell him I love him?_

"Oh. I see. See you in class Honda-san." _I knew it. She doesn't love me._

"O-Okay, Sohma-kun."

Tohru stood there and watched him leave the gym. _I was wrong. He could never love me. He deserves someone better. _She returned to the empty classroom and changed back into her school uniform without consideration. At least, not until she was ripping the hair ties out of her brown hair. She opened her gym bag and hunted for her normal blue ribbons to tie her hair back with. She found one strip of blue, but couldn't find the other. Frantically, she reached deep into her bag and her fingers closed around a ribbon. But when she pulled it out, it wasn't blue. It was creamy yellow with crimped edges. The ribbon Yuki had bought her for White Day. Shaking, Tohru almost put it in her hair before she saw the other blue ribbon nestled between her hairbrush and gym uniform. Sighing, she put Yuki's ribbon in her pocket and tied her normal ribbons back into her hair. _Yuki. How? Why? Why do I feel like this? Why can't I tell you? How can I tell you?_ She completed the bows and stepped out of the classroom, where Uo and Hana were waiting for her. Slowly, the three walked back towards their classroom without a further word. Sometimes the best friends are the ones who can read each other. But the best of best friends can read what's wrong, and know whether or not to intervene. And this was a time when they shouldn't.

When they reached the classroom, they were told that Class D was to be dismissed early. But Minami and Yuki stayed behind to clean up. _This is heaven_. Minami started to clean the erasers at the window, letting the sunlight seep into her features. Surely her Prince would notice sooner or later. _This is hell. Why'd I volunteer to stay behind with her? _Yuki was sweeping the floor roughly, and wasn't paying the least bit of attention to Minami. The classroom door slid open, and closed again. _Please God, let it be Tohru. I beg of you. _A pair of pale arms reached out from behind him, encircled him, and pulled him backward. Stumbling, he dropped the broom and stared at the small white hands holding him to unknown person. Something soft like silk grazed his ear, and he turned his head. Momiji beamed up at him and exclaimed, "Guten Tag!" Haru stood behind him, crouched down with a black ribbon up towards Yuki's face. A cocky smile split across Haru features as he waved the piece of ribbon again, this time grazing Yuki's nose.

"Haru, what are you doing?"

"Nothing, just practicing the Tohru Honda Simulator on our consumer."

"Shut up. Momiji, what are you doing here?"

"I am playing Tohru, because Ich bin hübsch!

"Yeah. Whatever, Momiji."

"Hey Momiji! Hey, um, who are you?"

Minami dropped her erasers and hurried over to the group of boys. She was currently staring at Hastuharu and his appearance, as startling as it was.

"Oh. I'm Hastuharu Sohma. I'm Yuki's cousin."

"Interesting, um, hair."

"It's natural. So Yuki, my love, how was your day?"

"Shut up. Momiji, you shouldn't play along with Haru's tricks, it hurts people."

"Haru? Is that true?"

"Yeah Momiji. Put two and two together."

"Sie sind Mittel! I thought Yuki lieben Tohru!"

"Momiji, could you tell me what lieben means?"

"Sorry, but Yuki's says I can't translate any of my German for his Dämonen."

"Prince Yuki-kun, what does Dämonen mean?"

"Classmates. What do you want, Haru?" _It means demons, you idiot. _

"Nothing, just your presence soothes my heart."

"Shut up about that stuff, Haru. Momiji, where are Toh-Honda-san and Kyo?"

"Did you almost call Honda-chan Tohru, Prince Yuki-kun?"

"Um, no..."

"They're outside next to the lockers. Kyo was telling her something. Oh! Denken Sie daß Kyo lieben Tohru?"

"I'll be right back, Minami-san, Haru. Thanks Momiji."

"Wait Prince Yuki! Call me Minami, remember?"

"Excuse me." _Never._

(Door Shuts)

**Well, that's Chapter 3! No title. If you don't know German, just look it up on Babel Fish. Chapter 4 will come out soon, but I really need comments. Sorry about the cliff hanger, but I have to get to a friend's house! Auf Wiedersehen! Oyasumi! Sayonara! Parting is such sweet sorrow! (Uck, now I sound like Shigure. Don't worry Shigure fans, he'll be back for a ravishing encore to fry Keiko-sensei! Stay tuned for more!)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Since you are obviously eager to begin, I shall say little...**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket. Never will. Never have. I do own plot and Keiko Miyazoma. Usual crap about Ashley Tisdale's song (which I STILL can't get out of my head). **

Chapter 4: Stop Looking Up Here For A Title, Smart One.

Looking back, Kyo suspected that if he had confessed that day, Tohru would be his. Well, that was all for speculation. Yuki resisted the impulse to jump down the stairwell, and instead ran down them, furiously trying to ignore the fact that he had neither shoes nor any idea what he was going to say. It didn't matter though. He had to get to Tohru before she said that she would go out with Kyo. Uotoni-san and Hanajima-san were both outside the locker area, with smug expressions on their faces. Well, nothing really on Hanajima-san's face, but more than smug on Uotoni-san's face. Yuki skidded to a stop and said, "What's going on?" The two girls just looked at each other with raised eyebrows. "_What is going on_?" Neither answered him, just looked at each other with condescending looks on their faces. "Shit!" Yuki high vaulted over them and sprinted towards the locker room entrance.

"Wow, I didn't know Prince Charming was so acrobatic."

"His waves were very distressed. Perhaps we should have told him about Tohru and Kyo."

"Nah, this is way more fun. Never heard a Prince cuss, have you?"

"Never. By the way, are we really okay with this?"

"What? No, but it has to happen sooner or later. You said so yourself on the way back from their house the first time."

"Perhaps I misread their waves."

"Unlikely, Hana-chan. You're always right."

"True."

For one second, Yuki couldn't find that cat and Tohru. But he finally spotted the pair over by the gate. Both were blushing, but there was something missing. The intimacy, it wasn't there. They could be talking about something else. Or maybe Tohru didn't like Kyo. But he couldn't risk slowing down, or it might just happen. Instead he sped up, calling on pure hatred for that fucking cat to get him across the 20 meter school-yard. It was seconds before he reached Tohru. He practically collapsed onto the iron bars of the fence. For a few heart-beats, he couldn't speak for lack of oxygen. But that wasn't helping him at all. His eyes flashed to Kyo before they rested upon Tohru, who was glowing in a rosy light that wasn't there before. Little golden-edged black specks were scurrying about in front of him. They wouldn't stop moving. He leaned even farther onto the fence and turned to Kyo.

"W-W-What were you...t-talking...about?"

"Nothing. Just talking about the further possibilities of Shigure having his way with the teacher tonight. Tohru's saying that Shigure wouldn't do something like that...Holy shit, what's with you, pretty boy?"

"T-Tohru...he would."

"Dammit, don't talk, or you're going to faint! What the hell were you running out here for?"

Yuki slapped Kyo with his small amount of strength left and turned to Tohru. The black specks were getting bigger, and there were more of them. He had to tell her now, before he fainted.

"Tohru...I...I w-wanted to say...stupid cat, g...go away."

"Spit it out, you damn rat. If she can hear it, so can I."

"Cut the sh-shit you f-fucking cat. Piss...off."

"Hey! Pretty boy, don't talk like that in front of Tohru."

"I-I'm okay, Kyo-kun. Yuki, what's wrong?"

"Tohru...I-I"

Yuki broke down into a fit of coughing. _Oh no. My bronchial tubes. Shit. _He was clinging onto the fence like there was no tomorrow. Before he went dark, he saw Uotoni-san and Hanajima-san walking over casually, followed by a sprinting Haru and Momiji. Minami wasn't far behind, looking shocked. And then Yuki blacked out.

"I knew we should have told him, Uo." (Hana)

"I guess so, but I wanted to see if he confessed. Oh well." (Uo)

"What are you talking about, Hana-chan?" (Tohru)

"Nothing Tohru..." (Hana and Uo)

"We have to get my Yuki to Hatori! Now!" (Haru)

"Um, yeah Haru, but how, you stupid ox?" (Kyo)

"Momiji wants to help!" (Momiji)

"Dammit Momiji! Shut up! Yuki could choke!" (Kyo)

"U-Um, maybe we should call the ambulance for Hatori's hospital?" (Tohru)

"Great thinking Tohru." (Haru)

"Hey, you white-haired freak, what are you doing calling our Tohru Tohru?" (Uo)

"Minami, call this number on your cell phone." (Haru)

"O-Okay. Is he alright?" (Minami)

"No, you half-wit! He's fainted! Probably from running away from you!" (Kyo)

"K-Kyo-kun, calm down." (Tohru, who is tearing up)

"I sense little waves from him" (You guess)

"W-what does that mean?" (Minami)

"He's dying." (Uo)

"R-really?" (Minami)

"No. She's kidding you, you half-wit." (Kyo)

"Oh-no-oh-no-oh-no-oh-n-Hello? May I speak to Hatori...?" (Minami)

"Sohma." (Kyo, Haru, Tohru, Momiji, Hana, Uo)

"Sohma?" (MInami)

"Momiji wants to talk to Hatori!" (Momiji)

"Shut up Momiji!" (Kyo)

"WAH! Tohru, Kyo hit me!" (Guess)

"Um, Yuki? Yuki?" (Tohru)

"He still out cold. Check his breathing, Tohru." (Haru)

"O-Okay." (Tohru kneels down next to prone Yuki and listens to his breathing)

"He's still wheezing." (Tohru)

"Tohru, why'd you call him Yuki?" (Hana)

"I-I did?" (Tohru)

(Ambulance arrives)

In the end, everyone piled into the small ambulance while Minami, Tohru, and for some random reason, Hatsuharu and Uo all crowded into the back. At first it seemed like the EMT was going to complain, but one glare from a suddenly black Haru settled that. Kyo, Momiji, and Hana all rode up in the front, where Hana continually changed the radio station because "the minimal waves hurt her sonar". It was no comfort to see the relieved faces of the EMTs when they all were forced from the ambulance. Hatori was standing outside waiting for them, and looked down at Yuki. The rat was still wheezing pretty badly, and he hadn't woken up. Hatori pulled his stethoscope out and undid Yuki's shirt with precision attained rarely by robots. Then he jabbed the cold metal disk to Yuki's chest. The shock woke the teen up, and he sat up with a jerk. His eyes opened wide and he looked around, confused. He tried to speak, but he couldn't. _Where am I_? Hana raised her head slightly, and cocked an ear towards the person now trying to figure out what happened. Without meaning to, Yuki opened his mouth again and tried to speak to Tohru, who was desperately trying to make Yuki lie back down on the stretcher. _Why can't I talk_?

"He's wondering why he can't talk." Hana spoke up, then looked over at Hatori, who'd dropped the end of his stethoscope in surprise. It landed with a thunk against his chest. And it was the only sound anyone heard.

"W-Well, I bet it has something to do with his bronchial tubes and his attack...I guess..." Tohru broke off when she realized she had no clue what she was talking about. Hatori, thankfully, jumped in with raised eyebrows.

"Correct, Honda-san. If Yuki here would just come in for his check-ups, then he wouldn't get all of the build-up in his lungs. Then he wouldn't have an attack this bad. By the way Yuki, what were you doing to trigger something like this? The endurance run?"

Hana was about to relay the answer, but something else he thought stopped her. _We kissed, and I heard her thoughts for one second. We were one person for one second, and then I knew I had to tell her. So I started running to find her, and I thought Kyo was going to confess to her, and I had to tell her first. I'd been trying, but I guess not hard enough_. For the first time in her life, Hana didn't relay the exact thoughts of Yuki. "H-He was running because he thought Tohru and Kyo were going to leave without him, so he was trying to catch up."

"Hey Hana, why're you shaking?"

"Nothing Uo, just the sudden chills that go with this aura of death hovering around here. I must leave before it effects me completely."

"Well, alright. Tohru, we're leaving. Tell us how Prince Charming's doing once you get home. Just call Hana, we'll be at her house. And you, white-haired freak. We'll talk later about Tohru and you later."

"Whatever Yankee."

Obviously black Haru was still sticking around. Uo just smirked and fingered the end of the iron pipe sticking out of her gym bag. But standing outside a hospital, it didn't seem like the right moment. Maybe later. Hana nudged her and led the way back down the road towards her house. Hatori shook his head and said, "Your friends Tohru are very...loyal." Tohru didn't pick up on the hidden meaning and said as brightly as she could, "Thank you, Hatori-san!" Kyo rolled his eyes. _It wasn't a compliment, you idiot_. Yuki pushed some of his hair out of his face and stared around at everyone. Kyo, looking alarmed but moody; Haru, still black but managing a somewhat perverted presence; Hatori, hooking Yuki's shirt back up and talking about what do about the not-speaking part and the inevitable fever resulting from bodily strain; Momiji, poking Yuki's arm cheerfully; Minami, her eyes focused on the slightest bit of exposed chest just at the collar bone; and Tohru, flittering around, trying to look for something to make Yuki more comfortable. In one movement, Yuki moved his arm away from Momiji, glared at Haru and Hatori, used that hand to do the top two hooks of his shirt, and quickly snatched Tohru's arm before she stated worrying about something else. She froze and looked over at the rat.

"What do you need, Yuki?" (Tohru)

"Yuki?" (Yuki, trying not to shout with joy, his voice barely above a whisper because he can't really talk yet)

"Oh, um, sorry. Yuki-_kun_. What do you need?" (Tohru)

"Nothing really, but I would like to go home." (Yuki)

"Hey, why are you calling Prince Yuki-kun by his first name?"(Minami)

"I didn't mean to, Minami-chan, it just sort of slipped out." (Tohru)

"Hatori, can you please check me out?" (Yuki)

"I haven't checked you in, Yuki." (Hatori)

"Well, that's settled. Let's go Kyo, Tohru." (Yuki)

"Can Momiji come?" (Guess)

"[Sigh Yes, you can come Momiji." (Yuki)

"I'm coming too, my love." (Guess)

"Quit calling me that, Haru." (Yuki)

"Haru-san, what do you mean by "my love"?" (Minami)

"Oh. Yuki was my first love." (Haru)

"Um...well..I better get going." (Minami scampers at the possible sighting of awkwardness)

Yuki tried to get out of the stretcher, but he was strapped in. He looked over to his side to discover Tohru was already undoing the straps. She finished, and he struggled to climb out of the stretcher. When he finally accomplished that feat, he had to lean on Hatori for support. Hatori didn't ask questions, just helped Yuki into the Sohma car and he drove them the .25 kilometer home. He parked the car and came in as well. But the rambunctious arrival of two extremely eccentric Sohmas and one stolid Sohma was interrupted by a flash of mint green bowling Kyo to the floor, and Shigure calling out, "Oh hello you three! I was just having a chat with your lovely Keiko-sama." Yuki threw his bag in Shigure's general direction and paled. _Oh no. I forgot about her_. Hatori shoved Momiji and Haru out the door, and pried Kagura away from Kyo, and also sent her away. Without a word to Shigure, who was grinning happily at the appearance of his best friend, he left. Shigure, dejected, turned to Tohru and exclaimed, "My little flower! Can we have some dinner now?"

"U-Um, sorry, but I have to go shopping first."

"Alright, Keiko-sama and I and Kyo can wait. But what's with you Yuki?"

"Nothing. I fainted."

"A very feminine action, Yuki."

"Shut up, Shigure."

"I'm leaving for the store now..."

"I'll come with you, Tohru."

"Okay."

Tohru and Yuki escaped the death-trap that was their house and started the walk to the store.

"Tohru, it's alright." Yuki didn't look at her, for risk of completely flushing.

"What is Yuki, um, kun?" Tohru was confused; what was alright?

"That. Calling me Yuki. It's alright. I mean, it's better then constantly trying to correct yourself."

"Okay. Um, what do you like in your tofu nabe?"

"I don't know really, it's been awhile since I've had any type of nabe. But I did like the plums today."

"What plums?"

"You put plums in my onigiri, right? I really liked it. Could you make mine like that from now on?"

"S-sure Yuki. What is the homework tonight?"

"I don't know, we all left in a bit of a hurry."

"I guess so. That means that we're staying home from school tomorrow?"

"I am, but you can go if you want to. After all, it is a promise you made with your mom."

"I'll stay home, since I have someone sick to take care of."

"I'm not that sick, I'll be fine on my own if you need to go."

"No! I-I mean, I really do have to make sure you're alright."

"If you insist."

Silence sat for a moment before it was broken by the arrival to the store. Tohru bought what she needed, and even purchased some lollipops. Yuki stared at them in confusion. What were those for? However, the answer became clear when Tohru, on the way home, pulled one out, and broke the wrapper off. She turned to Yuki, who only had one bag because she had insisted for him to save his strength, and said, "What's your favorite flavor?" Startled Yuki stared at the ball of candy on the stick. He didn't remember the last time he'd had a lollipop. "I don't know, maybe strawberry, or melon." Tohru looked at the red lollipop for a moment and then closed her mouth over it for one second before she declared that it was a strawberry lollipop. She removed it from her mouth and said cheerfully, "Here you go!" Shocked, Yuki complied and took the candy from her and stuck it into his mouth. He sucked on it, finally remembering the last time he'd had a lollipop. It was when he was nine, and it was a strawberry one. He rolled the sweet candy around in his mouth, and glanced back over at Tohru, she also had one in her mouth, and she was glowing happily, enjoying the sensation she must really like. She pulled it out, and showed it to Yuki. "I got lemon! That's my second favorite after strawberry, but I gave the strawberry one to you since it's your favorite." Yuki pulled his out as well, and said softly, "Why did you get these?"

"Well, that's easy! Every time I went to the doctor, I got a lollipop! So I thought you might want one. But I only had enough change for two, so don't tell anyone once we get home."

"Tohru, Hatori never gave out lollipops."

"Really?"

"Yeah. But thank you anyway, it was a cute thought."

All of a sudden, Yuki realized that the sweetness in his mouth had changed. This time it tasted more like strawberries. _What had tasted so good when I started it? Maybe it was Tohru's saliva. Okay, I did not just think that. This night is just too perfect to think about stuff like that. _A crunch woke him from his thoughts, and he turned to look over at Tohru. She looked sad and pulled the stick from her mouth. "Oh no. I always bite mine when it's small. I don't mean to, but I do anyway." She stared sorrowfully at the stick and then stuffed into a trash bag they were passing. Yuki also bit down on his, but it didn't break. He tried again, but the lollipop was too big for him to break. He pulled it out from between his teeth and looked at it. It was just as big as when he had received it fifteen minutes ago, and shone in the fading sunlight like a ruby. He couldn't finish it by the time they got to his secret base, let alone the house. So he said almost nervously, "Tohru, you want the rest of mine?"

"Oh no Yuki! You should finish it. After all, you were the one that fainted."

"I guess."

But Tohru took it from him anyway. She stuck it in her mouth, and immediately bit own on it. She took the stick out, and also fished for a piece of the candy. Once she found a good sized one, she pleaded, "At least have some of it!" Yuki obliged, and tasted that strange sweet coating again before cracking down on the chunk of candy and swallowing it. Tohru snuck the stick back into the grocery bag she had when the house appeared in sight. And like a secret between two little kids, Yuki and she laughed together under their breathes as they prepared dinner together in the kitchen. Of course, Tohru dealed with all the cooking itself, but Yuki could slice things and set the table. When she finally sat down with him, Shigure, Kyo, and a very pale Keiko-sensei filed in and thanked Tohru for the meal before digging in. Yuki caught Tohru's eyes and they silently laughed together for a moment about the lollipops and the look on Keiko's face before returning to their food. And for the first time in three months, Yuki smiled with every corner of his heart. It was amazing what a lollipop could do.

After dinner, Shigure dragged Yuki, Kyo, and for some reason, Tohru, into the living room where Tohru poured tea and the conference began. Yuki kept score in his mind as Shigure humiliated them all.

"I assume you're Shigure Sohma-sama." Keiko was trying to start out in a formal fashion. _That won't last long, sensei. _Shigure choked on his tea at the "-sama" and replied cheerfully,"You bet hon." _Shigure:1 Keiko:0. _Their teacher's hand was shaking on her cup of tea. Obviously the lecherous dog had effected her already.

"O-Okay, so today in class I punished Kyon-Kyon here-" She was still trying to speak to Shigure as if she were discussing a bunch of elementary kids with their parents. _Less formal, but a very poor tactic, Keiko-sensei._

"Kyon-Kyon! Oh, I love it! Kyon-Kyon, could you pour me more tea?" Kyo's eyebrows curved dangerously. He winced as Shigure said if for the second time before he finally threw the full tea kettle at the dog. The cat announced loudly, "I'm Kyo, dammit!" _Shigure:2 Keiko:0. My my, this really is a short match today, folks._ Keiko dropped another layer of formality and continued, now trying to ignore the on-take from Shigure.

"Well, anyway, I thought Yuki-kun was a girl because-" Shigure thrust his palms out towards her and turned to face the rat across from him. He sang happily, "Yuki! A girl! Ha! You need your hair cut, Yun-Yun." Rolling his eyes, Yuki just took another drag of his tea and stated rather calmly for the situation, "Please quit calling me that." Shigure grinned evilly and retorted, "Why not?" Keiko-sensei leaned over to Yuki and whispered, clearly repulsed or afraid.

"Is he really your guardian?" She tucked a short section of straight red hair behind her ear, and glanced worriedly over at Shigure.

"Yes sensei, if you recall, I did warn you." _Shigure:3 Keiko:0. And it is true, I did warn you. This is entirely your fault. _Keiko lost another level of formality. Now she sounded more like someone on trial then the judge. Timidly, she said,"Well, I sort of said that Kyon-Kyon was dating Yuki-kun..." Shigure didn't even choke on his tea. Oh _no_. He sprayed it across the table and practically squealed.

"YOU WHAT? NO WAY!!! THIS CHRISTMAS COME EARLY!!!!" Keiko blinked, obviously not prepared for this reaction. She bit her lip and said in a concerned tone of voice, "Oh dear, is it really that funny?" Shigure chuckled and set down his cup of tea, while Tohru frantically wiped down the table were tea had spewed. He finally said, "It's hilarious. They hate each others guts, you see."

Keiko wasn't ready for that response either. And honestly, Yuki couldn't blame her. _Shigure sure does have certain way of surprising people. And in the bad way as well._ Keiko looked at Kyo, and exclaimed, "Oh my, really Kyon-Kyon?"

Kyo also choked on his tea, and stood up abruptly. He demanded furiously, "My name is KYO!" Keiko nodded her head eagerly. It was clear she wanted this over as fast as she could. She said, "Right." _Shigure:4 Keiko:0. This is a horrible defeat for Keiko-sensei, but she didn't prepare, even though we gave her a set of the rules prior to the match. _Keiko dissolved her last layer of formality and finally gained the attitude of a school-girl gossiping.

"Well, and then Yuki-kun said this, "He also my cousin, so he's no boyfriend of mine." What do you think of that, Shigure Sohma-sama?" For some reason, she was still calling Shigure -sama, even though he didn't deserve such respect. Then she had also pulled out her artillery with that comment.

"Yuki? YOU said that?" _Shit. Shigure:4 Keiko:1. _Yuki placed his cup of tea down and said smoothly, with no regret, "Um, yeah." He wasn't expecting anything in the form of discipline coming from this meeting, so he wasn't worried.

"That's great! It reminds me of me and Aya-chan during high school, back in the day..." _Perfect. Another infamous Shigure-Ayame story that will peel our guts at their stupidity. Will this scare the opponent away, folks? _Keiko interrupted him though, and said quickly, almost like if she didn't say it quickly, she'd regret saying it, "Do you have any disciplinary action for Yuki-kun?"

Shigure put his tea down and said absent-mindedly, "Nope. But thank you for telling me my favorite story now." _Shigure:5 Keiko:1. How does he do that? _Keiko sagged slightly at the verdict. Her case was lost. She said softly, "Um...well...I guess that's all then." She set her cup on the table and got up to leave. Shigure called out, "Alright Keiko, see you next time, hon." _Ouch. Shigure:6 Keiko:1. Why did he have to do that? _Keiko ignored Shigure andturned to Yuki instead. "Remember Yuki-kun; you have to stay back and do detention tomorrow and Thursday. Oyasumi."

Yuki replied politely, "Oyasumi, sensei." She bowed graciously, and then Shigure piped up brightly, "Oyasumi, sweetie." _Perverted dog. Shigure:7 Keiko:1. Okay Shigure, you've thoroughly killed her; you can stop now._ Tohru spoke up, her voice small and different after the discussion about discipline. "Oyasumi Keiko-sensei. Um, Yuki and I won't be at school tomorrow because he's kind of sick, and I have to stay home to take care of him..." Keiko didn't seem to mind. Instead she waved her hand and said, "Alright Honda-san, but don't forget we're taking the Math test on Wednesday."

"Thank you." It was Yuki who had thanked Keiko in the end. That was a little odd.

"Excuse me."

(Keiko leaves)

"That was fun! You should have your teacher come over more often, Yuki, she's pretty cute." Shigure was gazing at the teacher walking back down the path, his eyes following the swing of her purse.

"Perverted dog. Shut up about that kind of crap." Yuki still hadn't forgiven him for calling him Yun-Yun in front of the teacher. And the embarrassment he handed out to everyone was a bit much for one night.

"Yeah Shi-GUR-e, cut the crap." Apparently, Kyo felt the same way.

Tohru stammered, "I-I think I'm going to clean up and then go to bed. No wait. I think I'll take a bath as well."

"Alright Tohru, but don't let the water run over like last time."

"Yes Yuki. Goodnight Kyo-kun. Goodnight Shigure. Shigure, I hope those bumps heal by the morning."

"Thanks Tohru. At least someone here hates to see me in pain."

"I'll help Tohru."

"Oh Yuki, that's too much! After all, this is how I earn my board and keep."

"Well, then I'm going out, and then going to bed. Maybe I'll take a bath as well."

"You two lovebirds don't give a damn about what I'm going to do, do you?"

"We're not lovebirds, you stupid cat, and we know you're going to sleep on the roof like you always do."

"See ya, Tohru." Kyo wasn't in a god mood, but he was learning to not shun others.

"Okay Kyo-kun."

Yuki went outside to his gardens, and sat himself down next to the brown furrows. His secret base, the home of his existence. How could he survive without believing he could create as well as destroy? It was the gardens at the Sohma house that he occasionally saw between his sessions with Akito that allowed him to keep is sanity. That is, however, if he actually did have any sanity in the first place. Yuki stood up and walked over to the shelf nailed to he tree where all of his gardening supplies were kept. Without noise, he pulled on the gloves and started pulling weeds from his turnips. It was almost time to harvest, but he could wait until Tohru asked for them. Then there would be an uninterrupted hour of time spent together over the turnips, pulling, cleaning, slicing, cooking, and serving them. Of course the cat might turn his nose up at the smell of the miso Tohru always mixed in, but it was worth the three-month's wait to do this ceremony.

Sighing, he pulled out a maple tree from between two rows and inspected the young thing. One of its roots was snapped in half, hanging bent like a broken arm. Maybe there was room for a maple over by the house. Yuki stood up from the kneeling position he was in and walked over to the edge of the backyard. He used a trowel to dig a furrow in the ground, and planted the tree. _Creating after destroying is more important, even if what was destroyed was just a maple tree. It isn't the trees fault that it grew in the wrong way. Akito, I know I was "special". I'm sorry that I'm the best Sohma in hundreds of years, and I'm sorry that you have to hide yourself in layers of contempt. But it wasn't my fault. One day, Akito, one day you will notice that you're the one at fault. Figure it out. _His hand closed over a section of grass, and instinctively pulled. Surprised, he stared down at the clump of grass in his hand, trying to figure out how it had got there. It didn't take that long to process what had happened. But it was too late to replant the tuft; the roots had been shorn cleanly in half, leaving the other half in the ground. Within seconds, the grass was dead. _This is what you did Akito, this is exactly what you did to me. And now I lie dead in your hand._ Tohru stepped out into the chilly night to set out some laundry to dry on the line, and saw him with his hand formed into a fist around the grass. He was shaking.

"Yuki? Yuki, why are you pulling out the grass?"

_Thats it. I'm tired of hiding it. I'm letting it out. Now._

"I wasn't. I didn't want too, but I accidentally did."

"Um, I drew a bath Yuki, but I think I'm going to wait since it's so nice outside...do you want to take it?"

"Maybe. Hey, can I talk to you Tohru?"

"Sure, do you want some tea or something? It's kind of cold out here."

"If it makes you happy Tohru, just come back, okay?"

Tohru left him alone in the dark, but the clattering of the cups being searched for and the predicable thunk as she dropped the kettle on her way to the sink was a luxury of comfort. He put down the grass and tucked his knees up to his chest, and let the sheet of hair that for once he liked having so long cover his face from sight so he could cry. But the tears never came. So he sat, still shaking, waiting for Tohru to return. He didn't even hear her, but when that same cool hand, now warm in the late autumn air reached out and brushed the bangs away from his face. Shocked, he looked over a Tohru and accepted the pro-offered mug. He drank some of it, and closed his eyes.

"What did you want to talk to me about Yuki?"

"Tohru, I have problems. You realize why I was...well, afraid the first time you met Akito? When I was really little, Akito used to hurt me."

"Hurt you?"

"That's the best way I can describe it. If there was a way he hadn't found and conducted upon me, then Hell must be frozen over."

"Yuki, do you really want that bath, because it's going to get cold soon..."

"I was trying to forget all of that when I moved out here to Shigure's, but its followed me like a rabid wolf on the hunt. Until you showed up on my doorstep one morning. Literally."

"So you're hurt. Wh-What do I have to do with the healing process?"

"You know how you get a cut, and it becomes a scab?"

"I know that, my mom used to annoy me about picking at them."

"Well, I have scabbed over, but you're what makes it itch."

"Itch?"

"You know, when your scab becomes irritated because it's over healed skin, so you scratch it off."

"Okay..."

"You don't get it, do you...well, let's say that I'm about to get rid of that scab. You're the new skin underneath..."

"I still don't understand."

"That's okay Tohru, it's just I had to tell someone eventually, I guess..."

He looked over at her, and noticed that she was out of her uniform. In fact, she was in her flannel pajamas. She shivered slightly, but tried to hide it with a cough. Yuki shrugged up next to her and said softly, "Are you cold?" Tohru turned her head to him and shook her head slightly. Her hand found his, and they sat in the middle of the grass, not looking at anything in particular, especially not each other. That same awkward silence expanded in the air, and pushed uncomfortably against Yuki's throat. He couldn't speak, although something needed to be said. Tohru spoke up, her voice quiet, almost stolen away by the night. "You know Yuki, sometimes I think that people don't like silence of any kind. But sitting here, I realized that silence is a predecessor. In fact, people often mean more by the silence then the words. And I've decided that even if you're scabbed, I'd be glad to help you itch it off." Something heavy was on his shoulder, and when he looked down, it was Tohru's head. Without meaning to, Yuki put his head on top of hers, so in a vague way, their heads were stacked. Silence. Tohru moved her and his hand into their view, and turned her wrist so that it faced him. A creamy yellow ribbon with crimped edges was tied upon it, with a bow. And it all clicked into place. "Tohru, I-"

"TOHRU! YOU LEFT THE BATH RUNNING! IT'S ABOUT TO OVERFLOW!"

Almost as if she'd been caught doing something obscene, Tohru leaped up and ran back into the house, her face glowing red in the muted light streaming from the first floor. Sighing, Yuki collected the mugs of unfinished tea, and took them inside with him. There were still some weeds to pull in the garden, but gardening wasn't going to help that moment. What he needed was sleep. Sleep and something to forget about. Yuki stepped into the house and placed the mugs in the sink without care, and turned for the stairs. But halfway climbing up, he met Tohru rushing down. There was a crash, and with a puff grayish purple smoke, Yuki turned into a rat. Luckily Tohru caught him before they both experienced gravity and tumbled down the stairs.

"Yuki? Are you alright? I'm so sorry!"

"Ungh...what happened?"

"I ran into you on the stairs. Um, I really am sorry, Yuki!"

"It's alright, Tohru, is the bath ready?"

"Yeah, but I can't take it now because I said you could have it, and I just hurt you, so I guess I'll let you have it."

"Nonsense, Tohru. If I took a bath right now I'd drown. I am a rat after all."

"Um Yuki...you changed back already..."

"I did what?"

"Here are your clothes. Put them on, please."

"A-Alright, um...don't you usually look away?"

"I can't move."

"Why not?"

"You're on top of me, Yuki,"

"I'm _what_?"

"Um...you're on top of me. Please get dressed. I'll close my eyes..."

"S-Sure,"

Yuki waited for her to close her eyes before snatching his clothes and pulling them on with lack of organization. _How did I get on top of her? If gravity should work, she would be on top of me. Unless she spun to catch me while she fell...that makes sense. _"What are you doing my Yun-Yun?" Yuki looked up from hooking his shirt back up. Confused at why him getting dressed was unusual, he glanced around him for an anomaly. Let's see; bottom of stairs, crash before, Tohru with her eyes closed, lying on the floor, Shigure being weird, wait...Tohru with eyes closed lying on the floor does seem a little odd. "Tohru, you can open your eyes, I'm dressed, and you've got to explain this to the perverted dog; he wouldn't believe a thing I said anyway."

"What? Oh! Shigure, we collided on the stairs and he transformed and I grabbed him before we went down, and then he was on top of me when he changed back, and so I had to close my eyes as I was so he could get dressed. Um, does that explain it...?" Shigure looked positively delighted and exclaimed, "Of course not, but I guess it'll have to do. I was hoping it was something juicier, but I guess not."

"Hey, what was the noise? And who the hell's bath is that? Speak up before I take it from you, whoever you are."

"It's mine, Kyo-kun. And Yuki's,"

"WHAT!?"

"No wait, that came out wrong. It's either Yuki's or mine, not ours."

"It's too late Tohru, he's about to self destruct."

"My little flower, it is best if you leave right about...now."

"WHAT THE FUCK? DID TOHRU JUST SAY HER AND YOUR-DAMN RAT-BATH! IS THAT WHAT IT IS THEN? WHEN I GO UP TO THE ROOF, SHIGURE TEACHING YOU TRICKS AND YOU TWO TAKE BATHS TOGETHER? THAT CAN'T HAPPEN, NOT TO THE FUCKING RAT! YOU FUCKING SHIT-BALL, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO TOHRU?"

"Nothing. Her words got distorted."

"BULLSHIT."

"Alright, if he's just going to cuss like that and not make any sense, I'm going to take that bath. Can you handle him, Shigure?"

"Yeah Yuki. By the way, do you want tips?"

"Hell no. Pervert."

"U-um, I'm going to leave too, if you don't mind, Shigure."

"Sweet dreams, Tohru."

"YOU'RE LETTING THEM GO OFF TOGETHER SHIGURE?"

"Kyon-Kyon, grow up."

Tohru and Yuki escaped up the stairs as Kyo started bashing Shigure apart. Tohru glanced back worriedly, but Yuki grabbed her hand and said, "He'll be fine." Tohru nodded minutely and said softly, "So, who goes first?" Yuki thought about it, then said just as softly, "Whoever can find the other's school-bag first. I'm assuming yours is upstairs?" Tohru nodded again, and then squeaked, "Hajime!(Start)" She bounded off down the hallway, and ducked into Yuki's room. Laughing slightly, Yuki sprinted into Tohru's room. Her bag was usually in the corner behind the desk. He scrambled to the desk and picked up the bag. He twirled on his feet and sprinted back out, just to see Tohru come out of his room as well, his bag clutched to her chest. _How'd she find it so easily; my room is filthy._ Tohru put on an extra burst of speed and the two touched the bathroom door, which Shigure had tried to repair, at the exact same time. Gasping, Tohru sank to the floor, and held out Yuki's school bag for him. He exchanged his for hers, and then said, "Tohru, just go. I'll take a shower in the morning. Plus, what if I faint again because of the heat?" Tohru could tell he was joking slightly. But he was perfectly serious; she could tell from the way he tipped his head to one side.

"Fine. If you insist-"

"And I do,"

"I'll go first. But at least let me draw you a bath after mine! It's the least I could do!"

"Tohru, you'll never give up, will you?"

"Give up? On what?"

"Never mind..."

(Right about now you should be listening to Hands by the Raconteurs)

**I'm ending it there. Man, I have less and less to speak about every time. Oh well...Oyasumi! Sayonara! Please review! Oh, and the shock of Tohru calling him Yuki forced him back into speech...and that is my story and I'm sticking to it. (Why do I keep forgetting these things?) And also, that one huge block of dialogue after Yuki faints is mainly because the entire happenings are mostly the talk. Otherwise, they're all pretty much just standing around Yuki, stressing about what to do. Okay, I'm done. I think. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay. Here we go...cranking out another chapter at midnight. Go me! So here we go...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, although I do own Keiko and this plot-line. The suffix -bozu means little boy. Often used with kids younger than ten. Oh. And the collar bones are those ones right there beneath your throat, and above your sternum and rib cage.**

Chapter 5: After This Chapter There Will Be Nothing Up Here

The next morning Tohru woke up with something on the gap between her collar bones. With out moving her neck, she glanced down and saw the rat form of Yuki curled into a ball there. Smiling, she closed her eyes and waited for him to wake up. It didn't take long for the teen to wake up, and look around him-self in confusion. Slowly, his head turned, and focused on Tohru's face without recognition.

"Good morning, my prince."

"Mom...?"

"No, silly, I'm Tohru."

"Who? No wait...Tohru...AH! What am I doing here?"

Yuki scampered of Tohru and promptly fell back to sleep on the floor beside her bed. Tohru sat up, and looked down at the small rodent passed out on her floor. _Should I wake him up again? Or wait until breakfast is ready. _Silently, she laid Yuki onto her bed and covered most of his body with her quilt so that if he transformed back, he wouldn't wake up naked on the floor. And she stole down the stairs even before she could dress in her uniform. Her alarm clock beeped subtly at five in the morning.

Yuki woke up at seven, two hours later, curled up with his head tucked beneath one of his arms, which had replaced his tail as a shield from the light. He moved his arm, groaned, and rolled off the bed. The light reflected of Tohru's mirror as he tried to orient himself. In a loose posture, Yuki staggered towards where his wardrobe should be. When his fingertips brushed the side of the wardrobe, he could change into his uniform out of his old collared shirt and equally old martial-arts pants. _I need to buy some pajamas sometime, or else Shigure is going to crack another joke about me being a miser. Well, I do keep almost everything. Pack-rat. Yup, that's me._ _Well, organized pack-rat, anyway. _But his fingertips never hit the side of the wardrobe. Instead he walked into a wall. Odd. An anomaly in his usual morning process. His mind checked itself for anything that would clue him in. But Yuki's brain reacted to itself by shutting back down into sleep mode. Rubbing his head, he looked up for the first time, and realized he was in Tohru's room. Or was it his? Okay, so there was a lot of pink, but maybe his eyes had gone on strike like his brain. After all, the two were connected. Shrugging, he reached back to pull off his shirt in order to change, and his fingers scrabbled along his back. No shirt. Oooooooo-_kay_. Now _that_ is an anomaly. The brain inside his silver head finally woke with a sense of reluctance. _Holy shit! I really am in Tohru's room!_ Yuki looked around himself, confused. Finally, he realized he was naked as well. _Holy shit! How did I end up naked in Tohru's room? _And as always, Shigure chose the wrong moment to wake up his "flower".

"Good Morning Tohru! What's for break...fast...Yuki? What are you doing?"

"Nothing really. This is my room, right? Please tell me that this is my room."

"It's your room, Yun-Yun."

"Crap. It's not my room, is it?"

"Nope. Hey, who's the pervert now?"

"Shit. Get me my uniform, will you?"

"Only if you tell me how you ended up in this current sta-ate..." _Dammit, Shigure's using the singing voice._

"I don't know. Get my clothes, will you. Or I'll never let you come to any of my high school functions ever again."

"The High School Girls! Yun-Yun, you are so mean!"

"Loss of privileges in five...four...three-"

"Alright! Alright! I'll be right back! Just don't take my High School Girls away from me!"

"Hey, who's the pervert now, Shigure?"

"I'll be right back, Yuki."

Shigure rambled off, and returned with a bundle of Yuki's clothes clutched to his chest. He threw them at Yuki, who caught them without trouble, and leaned against the door frame. Yuki struggled into his clothes, and finally stumbled while on his pants. With a cry of surprise, the teen fell backward and whacked his head against the floor. Shigure sniggered as Yuki blinked in surprise and tried to not pass out. Kyo popped in and stared down at the rat before preparing to comment. "Hey pretty boy, why's your room pink?" Shigure's snigger escalated and Yuki got up without replying. He finished putting on his uniform and walked out past the dog and cat. _Perfect. Idiot cat and pervert dog know. How am I going to explain this? _

Tohru glanced up when Yuki fell down the stairs and hit his head on the floor for the second time in two minutes. She rushed over and kneeled next to him, and smiled with relief when Yuki finally opened his eyes after wincing slightly.

"That happens to be the fifth time this week, my prince."

"Really? Because I also fell twice upstairs...wait, _prince_?"

"Yup. My Sleeping Prince. Like the fairy-tale, you know?"

"Y-Yeah, I guess."

Yuki stood up and helped Tohru off the ground. Once she was standing, she noticed Yuki's tie around his neck. The knot hadn't even been attempted. Smiling to herself, she reached up and tied it for him. The breathless process was over and the two sat down to breakfast without the dog and the cat. In fact, Kyo skipped breakfast, screaming about the fact that he was going to be late for school and the last time that happened, Uo had put all of the condensed love letters Yuki had received in Kyo's locker so that they avalanched upon him once he opened the locker door. Shigure walked in, and walked out once Yuki warded him away with warnings about the arrival of his editor. Tohru looked over at Yuki, and said brightly, "My prince, we aren't going to school, remember? So you can change out of your uniform." Yuki glanced down at himself and remembered that he was sick. Tohru cocked her head, one chunk of brown hair falling over her shoulder and resting upon the table, and said with a hint of worry, "Do you have a fever?" Yuki couldn't tell, so Tohru walked over to his side of the table and felt his forehead for the tell-tale sign of sickness. Predictably, he was sick, and Tohru sent him upstairs to change out of his uniform.

Yuki returned after two minutes of silence. Tohru was still sitting by his seat, her head bowed and that was when Yuki noticed the breakfast set out on the table. Everything there must've taken an hour or so to prepare, and some of the ingredients she'd obviously gone out to buy. What time did she get up anyway? He sat down next to Tohru and bent his head so he could see under her bangs. Her eyes were closed, and she was fast asleep. Sighing, Yuki turned to the table and noticed the White Day ribbon next to her cup of tea. Silently, he reached over the table and picked it up, his fingers struggling to find traction on the satin surface. He turned to Tohru and carefully pulled her hair back away from her face. Twisting it like he'd seen Hana do it so many times in homeroom, Yuki pinned the two strands of hair behind her head with the ribbon. For once, the bow he made was perfect. Okay, so the tails were a little uneven, but then again, that was Tohru in a way. He was about to move his hands away when suddenly she gasped and awoke. Her head snapped up and her hand was suddenly on Yuki's, pinning it to her hair as she felt the ribbon that he'd placed there. Her brown eyes widened and her lips parted in a intake of confusion.

"Yuki?"

"Could you please explain to me what happened after you took the bath?" Tohru let go of Yuki's hand and placed hers in her lap.

"Um, sure...We took our bathes. We went to sleep in separate bedrooms. And then about midnight, you crawled into my room and whispered something about a dark place and Akito-sama. You had just had a night-mare. So you slipped into my bed next to me, and fell back asleep. At some point, you started crying in your sleep. So I hugged you to comfort you, and you kind of transformed. So I put on my chest so you wouldn't change back, and then I fell asleep. You know your fur is really soft? It was like having a heated pillow right there on me. And then you slept late, so I decided to call you the Sleeping Prince, like the story."

"I don't remember any of it."

"Oh, um, I'm sorry that I hugged you, but what if Shigure walked in and saw you there next to me? That would be awkward...and I forgot about the curse...I feel really bad about it."

"It's alright Tohru."

"So it all turned out for the best?"

"Not quite."

"Really? What didn't go right?"

"You got up really early just to make all this. I have a suspicion that it was all for me. Don't over-exert yourself, Tohru, it's just going to hit you in the face when you're not expecting it."

"I-I didn't mean to. It's just that, well, um..." A blush spread across Tohru's face.

"It's okay. Just don't hurt yourself for my sake, you know?"

"Okay."

"Thanks for breakfast. It looks really good. What should I eat first?"

"Um, I don't know. Maybe the soup? It was so cold this morning. That was what I had. But really have whatever you want. I made some more tofu nabe with the leftovers, and over there is some of your favorite onigiri with plums, and that is the soup-"

"Do you have a fever Tohru?"

"I-I don't think so..."

"Let me check."

Yuki reached over and pressed his hand against her forehead and felt the warmth rushing to her face as she finally blushed entirely after realizing all the embarrassing things she had said. Yuki leaned back on the balls of his feet and declared that indeed, she had a fever as well. Laughing, Tohru stood up and walked back over to her side of the table. Still flushed slightly, she poured herself some more tea and reached for one of the onigiri. Yuki also laughed and served himself some soup. Silence. That silence again. Suddenly Tohru burst out, "Yuki! Isn't the Math test today?"

"W-What? No, it's tomorrow, since Sensei changed the date."

"Oh. For one second I thought I was going to miss a test."

"Don't worry Tohru, you're fine."

"Okay."

Tohru looked down at her hands wrapped around the tea. Steam curled away from it like morning fog, and trailed across the table towards the silver-haired teen she was trying everything possible not to confess to. The silence pressured her throat as well, but months and months of this silence had finally escalated to this scale where she could barely speak. _I have to tell him sometime. But how can I expect him to return my feelings? Yuki, my prince, you have to understand why I love you so. _A tap of ceramic hitting wood jolted her out of her brain and Tohru looked up. Yuki was gone from his side of the table. Perplexed, Tohru turned her head and came face to face with the rat. He pulled back and said softly, "You should go to bed Tohru, or the fever will get worse." She blinked without comprehension for one second before answering in a hushed tone, "Yuki, we're both sick. Technically we should both be in bed." Yuki moved away slightly and he stood up again. Almost automatically, he started clearing away the dishes, but he froze before his fingers closed around his cup of tea. He turned his head and looked through his stupid to-long hair to glance at Tohru, who once again had her head on the table with her arms across her eyes. _I'll survive. It's her I'm worried about. If we went to bed about ten or so, she got two hours of sleep before I came in, and then she stayed up two hours to take care of me in a state I don't even remember. And then she woke up at five to make breakfast like this. That's only about five hours of sleep. And on top of that, doing all this cooking so early on, she must be exhausted._ Tohru stirred slightly, her face turning towards Yuki as she mumbled something about turnips. _Turnips. She was probably going to ask me when we could harvest them. _

Shaking his head, Yuki walked over to Tohru and searched around the room for something to cover her up with. But all of the blankets were upstairs, so he went and fetched one from the closet. When he entered the dining area again, Tohru was curled up on the floor, her hands pressed against the side of her face and her lips smiling as she experienced sweet dreams. Yuki put the blanket over her and snatched a pillow from the corner and tucked it under her head, careful to not wake her. But as soon as he left the room to put all the extra food away, Tohru opened her eyes and stared about herself in wonder. The crash of a dish brought her back to earth. She skidded into the kitchen and almost fell onto Yuki, who was kneeling on the floor, his head bowed at the shards of plate in front of him. But she halted just in time, one coil of her hair falling onto Yuki's shoulder. He slowly glanced up at her and said softly with a bit of black humor, "I woke you up, didn't I? I am such a klutz sometimes it worries me. I'm sorry." Tohru kneeled down next to him and started picking up the pieces of china, careful not to prick her fingers or palms against the sharp edges. She shook her head and stood up to dump the pieces into the trash can. With her back to him, she said in a hushed tone, "One day you'll get it, Yuki. One day." _I don't mind you waking me up, as long as you spend every waking hour with me._

Even though he had heard her, Yuki didn't know what to say. Sluggishly, his brain analyzed the phrase and context. All possible answers finally came to his sight. Panicking, he looked up at Tohru, who had spun to face him, her hair created a fan of brown behind her. She was crying, or at least there were tears coming from her eyes. She almost said something, but literally swallowed it down. Yuki felt his mouth open as he too tried to say something. His words failed him. Tohru smiled apologetically and wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her shirt. "I'm so sorry Yuki, but I think I'm feeling a little light. I think I'm going to go and lie down..." And she collapsed. "Tohru!" Yuki jump-started and barely reached the brunette girl before she hit the ground. Her eyes fluttered open for one second before she lost her senses. "Tohru! Wake up!" Yuki put one of his hands on her forehead and almost burned his skin even though he was feverish himself. _Perfect. Just perfect. _"SHIGURE! I KNOW THAT YOU'RE HERE SOMEWHERE! COME ON! TOHRU'S FAINTED!"

Shigure popped in and kneeled down next to her. He raised his face and observed Yuki's face before he said firmly. "She needs CPR." Yuki blinked. Pills, compress, and bed rest, yes. But CPR? Shigure glared at him and said rapidly, "Well, if you aren't going to do it, I will." He bent down towards Tohru's face before Yuki finally got the meaning. Shigure felt something yank hard on his hair, pulling him back away from Tohru. Yuki, eyes filled with disgust and hatred, glared at him. "Pervert. Hell no. She doesn't need CPR. Call Hatori before I render you crippled. Then I will have to call him and I will not be very happy with that." Shigure rubbed his head and shuffled off to call Hatori before Yuki escalated to Kyo-status-violence. Not that that happened very much without Kyo in the area, but when anything happened to Tohru, Yuki was a merciless assassin packing a bazooka.

Shigure picked out all the hair Yuki had yanked out of his scalp as he listened to the phone dialing. _Stupid teenage hormones. Ah, but when I was his age, I was like him. Well, sort of. _ Hatori finally picked up, and Shigure said flatly, "Usual Hatori." Hatori sighed and said just as flatly, "Who is it now Shigure?" Shigure smirked slightly and said jokingly, "Well, Yuki's pissed, and Tohru's fainted. I'm quote-in-quote perverted, and Kyo is just stupid." Hatori didn't sound amused. "You're smirking Shigure, I can hear you. Seriously. Who is it?" Shigure pried the smirk off his face and said mockingly, "All of the above. But right now, mainly Tohru." The dragon was heard putting his coat on as they spoke. "I'll be right over, Shigure." The phone gently cut off.

**Author's note: To show my weirdness, I have suddenly decided to do the next part in Shakespeare! **

SHIGURE: O, Hatori, thy fine apothecaries ease mine blossom well.

HATORI: Many thanks, but thy wit is duller than thy appearance.

HARU(**how'd he get in here?**): Why be-ith my words confuse-ed? O, Yuki, my love, my stars and sky, what did thoust do-ist to thy Tohru? Perchance-

YUKI(**heh heh, having fun with this**): Perchance thy wit be-ith as dull as yonder ragged cur? Pray, be silent for mine heart doth not find peace nor pleasure in thy presence nor voice.

SHIGURE: I doth protest with thy wit, good sir! Yuki, nay-er longer may thoust pierce mine heart-

HARU: -And mine-

SIGURE: -With such dark wit such as thoust dost call-eth me ragged cur!

HATORI: Nay, be silent, for I think thy blossom is awakening.

YUKI: Tohru! O mine Tohru, whose love I yearn but cannot be expressed by such crude words as mine!

TOHRU: Pray tell, Yuki, why be-ith thine and thy companions speaking in Shakespeare?

YUKI: Tohru, thy cheeks fill with breath like yonder ragged cur-

SHIGURE: I doth protest!

YUKI: -and thy eyes, such brown pools that I long to protect, are open to mine sight!

**Okay. I'm done. I'll translate that for all of you out there who don't read Shakespeare.**

Shigure: "Hatori, is she awake yet?"

Hatori: "Shigure, you idiot, can't you see I'm still working with her?"

Haru: "Yuki, my love, what did you do to Tohru to make her faint like that? Did you-"

Yuki: "No. I didn't. Why are you here Haru, and why do you insist upon calling me by those weird names? Did that pervert dog invite you?"

Shigure: "Hey! That's mean! Tohruuuuuuu! Oh. Right."

Haru: "Are you comparing me to that idiot over there?"

Shigure: "Hey! All I did was try to do CPR..."

Hatori: "Shigure, please, shut up. She's awake."

Yuki: "Tohru!"

Tohru: "...Yuki?..."

Yuki: "You're okay! And just to tell you, the perverted dog-"

Shigure: "Hey!"

Yuki: "-Tried to kiss you."

Tohru sat up in the bed and pushed her hand against her head. Pain split across her forehead and she said, "Ouch. What did I do?" Hatori looked at Haru, who looked at Shigure, who looked at Yuki. Tohru repeated the question as the rat shifted awkwardly on the end of her bed. Finally, after much eye-diversion on the part of the present men, Yuki finally said,

"You said something about me finding something out and then you started crying, remember? And then you fainted. I caught you before you hit the floor, but when Shigure tried to do quote-in-quote CPR on you, I pulled him away and you got kicked by Shigure. You kind of have a concussion and a fever because some dog had to try and kiss you while you were unconscious."

Tohru flushed as Yuki shot one of his I-will-torture-you-until-you-bones-melt-and-your-brain-literally-explodes-because-of-all-the-pain-receptor-it's-receiving glares at Shigure. She sat up entirely and half-bowed right there in her bed.

"I'm so sorry Hatori-san! I pulled you away from the Sohma house again didn't I?"

Hatori just snapped his bag closed and said, "I wrapped your head. That should come off by tomorrow. After that, don't be surprised if you faint again. A good whack from Shigure is causing your brain to try to aright itself. No school tomorrow either, or you'll just faint again from the mental stress."

Tohru nodded obediently and turned to Hatsuharu. "Haru, why are you here?" Haru shrugged non-commitally and said bluntly, "Bored. Chance to see Yuki. I took it."

Tohru bobbed her head, wincing as her blood rushed back from her head, and finally said, "Yuki, I really am sorry. I guess my fever is really bad..." Yuki nodded minutely and replied, "I asked you not to overwork yourself. By the way, tomorrow is the Math test. But don't worry, I already explained everything to Sensei and she'll let you take it on Thursday, after school." Tohru's eyes widened, and she threw the quilt back off her legs. "I forgot! The tea kettle!" She ran out before anyone could tell her she hadn't even put on the tea kettle. Hatori shook his head and said calmly, "Tohru certainly does have her priorities straight. Others before her, always." The other Sohmas agreed, but Yuki didn't respond. He stared at the mirror, trying to figure out how he had not recognized this wasn't his room in the first place. Shigure noticed, and prodded Yuki in the shoulder, making the teen jump and shirk away instinctively before saying rather coldly, "_What_?" Shigure grinned and said, "What were you thinking about Yun-Yun?" _I am so not answering that question. _Yuki stood up, and went down the stairs to find Tohru before she "forgot" something else she had "done".

He found her in the secret base, her hands wrapped around a weed, and her face flushed from pulling. Smiling, he sat down next to her and said, "You know, resting usually doesn't include pulling stubborn weeds." Tohru gave up on the weed and sighed.

"I know Yuki, it's just that I really want to use the turnips tonight, and you can't pull them because you have a fever."

Yuki hoped his eyebrows hadn't risen sky-high in disbelief. Him? Fever? She was the one who had fainted _and_ has a concussion. Inner Yuki was desperately trying to get Tohru inside so she could rest. Outer Yuki pulled the weed for her and murmured, "You know, I'm really fine, but I can't go to school after an attack in case I have a relapse or I become so weak that I transform. It's you who I'm home for."

Tohru picked at the edge of her shirt, her eyes diverted and shoulders tense. _What does he mean? _She turned her face to Yuki and smiled at him, hoping she wouldn't open her mouth and let those three swallowed words fly out. Yuki smiled back at her, Outer Yuki bracing Inner Yuki from showing, as usual. And Tohru let those three words out. Only she didn't mean to. But it was too late. "I love you."

Yuki blinked, startled. _What did she just say?_ Tohru covered her mouth with both her hands, her face turning dark red and her eyes open in horror. It was almost comical since Yuki hadn't actually heard what she had said. She stood up, and ran towards the house, face red with tears coming out of her eyes, either from joy or sorrow Yuki could not tell. He heard the back door to the house click shut, and he sighed.

"You know, she said 'I love you'." Haru came and sat down next to Yuki by the brown furrows. Yuki blinked again. He stammered, "S-she said what?" Haru glanced over at him, and looked away before repeating, "She said 'I love you'." Yuki beamed. _Funny feeling. I haven't done that since, well, never. I've never had a reason to beam. _Haru moved away at that moment, staring at the biggest anomaly ever; beaming Yuki. Finally, Haru said, "You know, that is kind of creepy. Could you stop that? And don't you need to go and talk to someone?" Yuki turned away without answering, his hand clenched around the weed. Haru ran his fingers through his hair and said with finality, "If you like Tohru so much, just tell her already."

Yuki let his head drop into his hands and replied, "I can't. It's like the world is conspiring against me. Whenever I try, someone or something interrupts me. I think I'm not supposed to have her. And I've seen how that cat acts around her. He loves her too, and if she chooses him, I can't just stop in and say "You're mine Tohru!" She has to make her own decision." Haru slung his arm around Yuki's shoulders and said cheerfully, "Well, that is pretty easy to solve. Just get on her better side. Make her like you more than Kyo." Yuki glared through his spliced fingers at the ox crouched next to him. "Haru, that most likely the _worst_ idea I have ever heard. If you mean win her over, I am _so not_ doing that. In fact, what is with you? You've been Shigure Jr. since yesterday." The answer came barreling through the woods at high-speed and trampled half of Yuki's secret base before skidding to a stop and throwing its arms around the rat. "YUKI-BOZU!"

Haru stood up, brushed his legs off, and tried to disappear before Ayame Sohma snatched him as well. But he was far too late to be spared. "HARU! Yuki-bozu, did he tell you yet? Haru's working in my shop with me!" Pinning both teenagers to him, Ayame said shamelessly, "He's even given me some ideas for some new lines for-" Yuki tugged free from his older brother's grasp and spat, "I _do not_ want to know. You idiot! What are you doing here? And what is with the '-bozu'? I'm seventeen!" Haru shrank in the snake's grasp, cringing ever so slightly as Ayame barreled right through Yuki's objection and started discussing skirt lengths with Yuki, who said quite clearly he didn't give a damn. And that was when Hatori and Shigure chose to come outside to find Tohru. Finding her not present, they sat down to watch the show. Well, Shigure did. Hatori continued to search for the brunette, who was currently in the kitchen, grappling with fainting to make lunch.

"Yuki-bozu, is that any way to talk to your nii-san?"

Ayame started on a lecture about family respect as Yuki turned to Haru and said in a strained tone, "Haru, there is school today. What are you doing here?" Hastuharu shrugged again and replied, "I ditched today. It was too nice out here, and my Yuki senses were tingling." Yuki rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, "Let me guess, you got lost on the way to school again, right?" The snake gasped dramatically and cried out, "Shigure!" Completely forgetting about Yuki and Haru, he ran towards Shigure, who replied with an equally dramatic "Ayaaaa!" The two met and started babbling rapidly, before finally doing their weird "signal". Haru drifted off to find Hatori, so they could escort Ayame away, and because being around a depressed Yuki instead of an annoyed one was only half as fun. Before lunch was finished, all three were gone, with only Haru's idea drifting in Yuki's head and bandages wrapped around Tohru to mark the visit.

That night, Yuki nor Tohru could sleep. Words kept bouncing around in their heads, ringing bells and twisting emotions. _I love you._

**There you go. Hmmm...if you skipped ch 4 and went directly to this one when you read, you will have to go back, because I made some changes to fit the characters better. (Thanks Assassinedangel, by the way, for the debate about that) Oyasumi! Ch 6 soon, and it WILL be a flashback partly to that night of ch 4...okay...must sleep now, cuz it is 1:37 am! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey! So apparently I update too fast, or something like that! (Is that good or bad?) Well, it is Saturday and I am ready to run another chapter by you guys! Remember, we're starting with a flashback here.**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Fruits Basket. EVER. And my Deviantart account is coming soon! But first I have to pen my comic strip...[another thing to do today Oh. Keiko and plot are mine, so don't you DARE, copy-cat!**

Chapter 6: Okay, So I Lied About The Whole "No Title Up Here Next Chapter" Thing. So, Do You Want To Make Something Of It?

-Flashback-

Tohru was curled up in her bed when some noise awoke her. Jolting awake, she recognized the silhouette of Yuki huddled by the door to her room. Sliding out of bed, she crept over to him and touched him on the shoulder. He looked up, his face unreadable in the darkness. "Akito...stop...it hurts...the room...it's still there, waiting...waiting...for me..." He could barely speak and was practically hysterical with fear. Tohru knew what was wrong. Another nightmare, not unlike hers. But what was with this "room" and Akito? Slowly, she reached out to touch his hand, trying to calm him down so he could go back to sleep. But Yuki was completely delirious, his eyes blurred and not even recognizing where he was. Tohru was sure that if he tried to go back to his room, he'd hurt himself. Sighing, she took him by the hand and led him back with her. She slid to the very far side of her bed, scrunching up next to the wall. Yuki followed her obediently, but kept his distance, either too scared or too tired tired to move farther into the bed. But his breath deepened, and he drearily fell back into a fitful sleep.

It wasn't long before he started to speak again, this time in his sleep. Even if she tried, Tohru couldn't stop from listening. Her eyes wide open, she listened as his words dribbled in and out of coherence, some random words his brain was firing from his lips, other forming disjointed phrases. At first, he talked about Tohru. well, Tohru suspected it was her, but Yuki never used a name, just "she" and "her". But as the alarm clock beeped around one in the morning, his started shaking and crying out in imaginary pain. "Stop it, Akito!...not the room...what did I do...do to you?...[sob" Tohru turned her head towards Yuki, realizing he was crying in fright or pain. Or both. Forgetting everything but the tears, Tohru reached out and hugged Yuki, her head against his back for one moment before he changed into a rat, completely passed out. Tohru blinked. She'd forgotten about the curse again, and who knows when Yuki would turn back? She found the rat tucked between two pillows, and carefully placed him on her chest. Smiling, her mind began to shut down.

_So warm_...

Tohru fell back asleep, her hand still over the rat's body, keeping him warm from the late autumn night.

-End of Flashback-

It was several gloomy days before Tohru even dared speak to Yuki again, and several more before she spoke to him conversationally. And by then she had thoroughly convinced herself that Yuki was avoiding her, instead of the other way around. Yuki, on the other hand, was entirely consumed by the fact that somehow, he had to answer her before the words became stale. School dragged on, testing their intelligence and boring them to death, but that was the way school was. And that silence, worse then ever before, hung over the house like a cloak.

Until one day, three weeks later, Shigure announced loudly, "Hey Yun-Yun, do you know what day it is?" Yuki raised his head from the kotatsu, hair mussed and melancholy. He shook his head, days of being respectively mute affecting his ability to speak.

Shigure pointed to the calendar, and exclaimed, "It's December 17th. When did Tohru faint again?" Yuki shrugged, but managed a weak, "I don't know. Maybe November 20th."

Shigure put his paper down and surveyed the teen sternly. "And that makes it twenty-seven days now that you've been moping. What happened?"

Yuki just shook his head. _Shigure being serious. It's official: Hell is frozen over. _Shigure reached across the kotatsu and flicked Yuki on the forehead with his fingers. "Ow!" Yuki sat up, glaring at he dog with his hand over his forehead. Shigure still had that look on his face, the really odd one, like he actually had a brain. He rustled his paper open again and said crisply, "Well, if you really want to give Tohru to Kyon-Kyon, I'm fine with it..." That made Yuki emerge from the dol-drums.

"Say what?"

"You heard what I said."

"B-But when did he...when did she..."

"They haven't, either of them. But it's only a matter of time until one of them realizes what they want. And if you don't claim her, that would be each other."

"Shigure, why didn't you tell me this earlier, like a month ago or so?"

"I dunno. I thought you'd have figured it out by now."

"I have. But I didn't predict for it to happen so quickly."

"Okay. Well, what are you waiting for?"

"Waiting for what?"

"Yuki Sohma, get up this minute and go do it, before I call Tohru here and you have to do it in front of me just be sure it's done."

"Shigure, are you serious?"

"TOHRU!"

Yuki jumped at the sound of Shigure's voice, and turned towards the sound of hurried footsteps. Tohru rushed in, and exclaimed, "Shigure! What do you need me for?" Shigure gestured towards Yuki and said in a almost too clueless tone, "I dunno. He called you." Tohru flushed and turned to Yuki, who froze for one moment before stammering, "H-Hi." _Stupid dog. I will kill him for this. _

Tohru bowed and sat down at the kotatsu, slipping her legs under the pillow, and sighing as the heat radiated into her body. She finally turned to Yuki, who turned pink and said unevenly, "Sh-Shigure was the on who called you. Um, but I-I..."

Shigure put down his paper again and made a "let's keep this moving" gesture with one of his hands. Yuki continued, "I-I have something to t-talk to you about." Tohru cocked her head, wishing to be anywhere but in that room. But someone was pinning her legs to the ground under the kotatsu. It wasn't Yuki; he wouldn't do that. But Shigure most likely would. She chose to pick at the hem of her t-shirt, keeping her eyes from Yuki's face.

Yuki pushed onward, obviously trying to get this over with. "Well, um, Tohru, I..." He paused, waiting for the interruption. The one time he didn't want to confess, and the irruption didn't arrive. Awkwardly, he said, "Tohru, I love...I love you, too. Well, I love you, but three weeks ago-" Shigure cut in, "-twenty-seven days ago-" Yuki was scared to death. _What if she didn't mean it? _He finished, "-you said 'I love you', and I'm sorry it took this long to reply but I've been trying to tell you for the past month, but something kept interrupting me, and, um..." Yuki had sped up after the confession, and trailed off again. He was red, nervously clutching his hair with his fingers, and looking at the crimped ribbon, which she had stuck in her hair for the first time in a month, mostly because her normal ribbons were missing. Tohru flushed darker, more of a burgundy than a red, and said softly, "Um, Shigure?"

"Yes, my flower?"

"Could you please leave?"

"Aw, but this is the best part..."

"P-Please?"

"Fine."

Shigure stood up, and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. The silence, too saturated to bear, crushed the two teens. Finally, Tohru said, "Um, what happens now?" Yuki shrugged, laughing nervously. "I have no clue. Lots of girls have confessed to me, but I've never replied positively before." Tohru stood up, and came to sit next to Yuki, on the same side of the kotatsu. She tucked her legs back under the pillow, and turned her head to look at Yuki. Her fingers continued picking at the hem of her shirt, and she said, "Well, from what I've seen in the movies is that we do something, like hug or k-kiss. But, that's kind of-" Yuki kissed her. Slowly her arms twined around his neck, and kissed him back. And then it was over. Tohru put her head on Yuki's shoulder and said softly, "What do we do now?" Neither had a clue, but Kyo did.

He burst through the paper door, not even bothering to open it, making Tohru jump away from Yuki like south-to-north magnets. Kyo was white, and his pupils were dilated in rage. Shigure stuck his head through the hole, and said weakly, "Kyon-Kyon, please don't kill my house..." Kyo rounded on Shigure and seethed, "MY NAME IS KYO, YOU FUCKING LECHEROUS BASTARD! GET IT RIGHT!" Shigure shrank against the wall, and Kyo spun back to face Yuki, who he pointed at with a shaking finger. "WHAT DID YOU DO?" Yuki didn't know what he had done; fort a matter of fact, he could have done anything. But the stupid cat was really pissed. Tohru started shaking as Kyo yelled, "WHAT DID YOU DO? I WILL NOT ASK AGAIN!" Yuki stood up, and said calmly, "She confessed first, you idiot. Why should you care, anyway?" Kyo froze, his face gaining color as he calmed down slightly. "B-Because I, well...I...oh _fuck_..." Yuki nodded, and said coldly, "That is what I thought. Kyon-Kyon, calm down. This isn't my fault, nor is it anyone else's. You're going to have to deal." Kyo sneered, and fell to the ground, passed out. Even though he had turned to a cat from lack of energy, his fur was still bristling. Tohru knelt, and scratched one of his ears, whispering, "I'm sorry Kyo-kun, but Yuki is right. Love happens." The fur lay back down upon Kyo's back, and he woke up. Kyo padded over to his clothes, and picked them up in his mouth. Glancing back, he trotted through the hole in the door, towards the door to the house. _I was too late. Now that damn rat has got her. I can't stand to stay here. _He slipped out into the night, only to return in an hour because he hadn't any money, and he was hungry. Once he let himself in, there was a tray of turnips without miso set out for him on the kitchen counter. There was a note attached, which said:

_Kyo-kun-_

_I figured you'd come back, so I saved some dinner for you. List-_

_en, you have to believe me when I say I love you, but Yuki_

_needs me more right now. If only you knew what happened to_

_him when he was young. And believe me when I say that things_

_could be different, even if you love me more than just a house-mate._

_Just trust me with this, 'kay?_

_Much Love_

_-Tohru_

The next morning, Tohru came downstairs, to find Kyo lying at the kotatsu, next to and empty plate, with dried salt on his face, and her note crushed in his fist. She didn't bother to wake him for school, but instead let him stay home. But halfway though the first period, her showed up, panting, and sat down between Minami and Uo, both of whom were staring at the very back, where Tohru and Yuki were passing notes to each other without any regard for Hana, who was reading the notes when they were opened. Most of them were frivolous things, like what was lunch(leftovers), and how Tohru had done on that math test (B-). BUt one note caught Hana's attention. It was longer than the others, and said, "Yuki, what do we do now? And how do you tell your fan club? And how do I tell my friends? And is Kyo really okay with us?" Yuki's reply was shielded by Tohru's hand, but she giggled none-the-less, and smiled at the rat, who beamed back. Hana turned to face the front. _Now they're dating. And Yuki beaming; that's just creepy. But very interesting...very interesting indeed..._

**Yeah, Yeah. Cry if you want, but this story is about half over! L-L (tears) Um, if I forgot to explain anything, please tell me! Oh, and I love to debate, so sorry if I sound kinda rude sometimes when answering y'all's reviews. Yup. I said "y'all's". Get over it already. Sorry chapter is so short! And, um...Next chapter sneak peek!!!!**

**"Dammit, quit doing that you bitch!"**

**"I would, Orangey, but I love you too much!"**

**"My name is KYO! Goddamit! Since when have you called my Orangey, anyway?"**

**"Um...since you siad your name wasn't Kyon-Kyon..."**

**"GOD DAMN NICKANMES!"**

**Well, I'll conclude there o**

**Sayonara, yu-tomo sugoi!!!! (Look it up, folks)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey y'all! So, this is ch 7 out of...um...who knows! As you know, there will be some major Kyo-action in this chapter, including graphic language. Reader's digression is advised. And there basically some things you gotta know for this chapter, like German. Oh well, look it up.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket. In fact, is there anyone here that does? I mean, wouldn't it be odd if Natsuki Takaya was on writing Yukiru fanfics? But at least she'd have second thoughts about the real Furuba ending...which I would be glad for.**

Chapter 7: I'm Serious. Quit Looking Up Here, Smart One.

Kyo was out on the roof of the school, not eating and thinking too hard. For the last hour he'd been dissecting the letter Tohru left, and came to the depressing conclusion that she loved him like an old childhood friend. And that wasn't what Kyo wanted her to feel. But he was a little late in realizing such things, as usual. The seed had been set. Suddenly, someone sat down next to him, and said too brightly, "Good Afternoon, Kyon-Kyon!" Kyo turned his head, and saw Minami sitting next to him. He didn't even bother with correcting her. "Piss off, bitch." Minami didn't even blink. When did she get guts? She ventured, "Is it true that Prince Yuki and Honda-chan are d-dating?" Kyo frowned and said bluntly, "Why the hell would you think I would know? Piss off already!" Something grabbed his hand. Shocked, he glared at Minami, whose eyes were filled to the brim with tears. She cried out, "Is that what you think would scare me away? Please, tell me!" Kyo sighed, and said coldly, "Minami, I don't know. All I know is that Tohru doesn't love me like she loves Yuki. If you want an answer to that question, go spy on them like you usually do. Now please, go away." Minami nodded, but didn't retreat. Instead, she kissed him. _Okay...that's a different way of showing contempt..._She pulled away, and breathed, "Let's fix this, Orangey." She went to kiss him again, but Kyo thrust her away. He yelled, flushed, "Dammit, quit doing that you bitch!"

"I would, Orangey, but I love you too much!"

"My name is KYO! Goddamit! Since when have you called me Orangey, anyway?"

"Um..since you said you're name wasn't Kyon-Kyon..."

"GOD DAMN NICKNAMES!"

"Kyo, you have to understand my reasoning here...I love you, just not as much as Prince Yuki. And I bet, somewhere in there, you love me, just not as much as you love Tohru. And, let's face it, neither of us is going to get what we want the most."

Minami laughed mirthlessly. She was serious. _My god...she's crazy! Is this her way of confessing? That's really odd, whatever she's doing. Hold on, she LOVES ME? No fucking way! No fucking love-shit way!_ Minami started to leave, but Kyo called out, "Wait, is this what I think it is? A reaction romance?" Minami froze, smiling to herself before replying, "Since when have you read the girl magazines, Kyo?" Kyo flushed darker, but said loudly, "You're right! This is just a reaction, but it could work. Um...Minami, I love you!" Minami beamed. _There Kyo, was that so hard? Too bad I don't really love him. After all, reaction romances are solely to bring the two people out of depression after the ones they love are taken away. Mostly, it fills a physical need. Am I ready for this? _She walked back to Kyo and kissed him again, allowing him to part her lips to make it more intimate. _Do I have to be ready?_

Yuki and Tohru were being inspected excruciatingly by Uo and Hana. Separately, the two were being asked questions about each other. Hana to Tohru, using information she was extracting from Yuki's mind, and Uo to Yuki, using her knowledge of Tohru. At last, lunch was over, and the two friends had to retreat so they could get back to class. The two were walking away from the seriously freaked Tohru and the surprised Yuki when Hana said, "Were you expecting it to come out this way? And so early on?" Uo smiled and said in her normal voice, "No, I wasn't. But I'm happy with it, to the extent I can be."

"Well, I was right, but I wish I weren't."

"Hana, we need to find that white-haired freak."

"Who, Hastuharu Sohma? He's Yuki's cousin."

"Damn. How many cousins Prince Charming got, anyway?"

"I believe seven."

"Damn. How big is this wedding going to be?"

"Are you sure they're going to get married, Uo?"

"Yeah. Have you seen how Yuki looks at her? How Tohru looks at him?"

"Thank god we've almost graduated, or they might elope."

"God forbid."

"Guten Tag!"

Uo and Hana looked out towards the voice, and then down. A blonde kid in a girl's uniform said cheerfully, "I'm Momiji, one of Yuki's cousins! Excuse me, but is it true? Did Yuki bekennen Sie to Tohru?"

Uo smiled and pushed a strand of flaxen hair from her face before sighing, "Sure, Momiji. And we've met, way back when we were Freshman. Ah, the years have flown...and yes, he did." Momiji opened his blue eyes and cried, "Wundervoll! Thank you for telling me!" And then, much to Uo's satisfaction, Haru showed up next to Momiji, and said flatly, "So it's over. Oh, it's you two. Hey Yankee, we had something to discuss?" Uo shook her head, and said, "Nah. You're one of the Sohmas. You have every right to call Tohru Tohru, like Kyo, Yuki, Momiji, or that creepy doctor guy. Oh, and pervert novelist as well." Haru raised his eyebrows. "Creepy doctor guy's name is Hatori. Hey Momiji, can you go find Tohru and Yuki? We have to discuss _that_." For one moment, the rabbit looked serious before skipping off to find the rat and the brunette.

Uo said seriously, "What is so needy to discuss?" Haru nodded, and said, "Yuki actually has eight cousins. The eighth one is named Akito. He's the head of Sohma family, and he is rather...jealously protective."

Uo tipped her head forward in understanding. "I get it. I know some people like that. I'm one of them. So, why is that a big problem?" Haru said darkly, "He's violently protective." Uo blanched for one moment before saying, "And? How bad is this guy Akito?" Haru said in that same tone, "Hatori? He was going to get married. When Akito heard about it, he almost blinded Hatori with a pot, and said it was all Hatori's fiancee's fault. We had to send her to a special place. She went crazy with grief."

Uo turned to Hana and said smoothly, "Hey, he tellin' the truth?" Hana nodded. "His waves are pure, although dark. Not disrupted. Wait...hmm...that is odd. He has two wavelengths, but he's only using one of them." Uo turned back to Haru and demanded, "We've got to stop that from happening to Tohru. She doesn't deserve that. No one does, except for those bitches..." Hana didn't bother explaining to Haru about the gang Uo had been in. Instead, she said, "So, what are you planning to do about it? If you don't do anything, you will have to put up with me fucking up your brains for you." Hastuharu cocked an eyebrow and said sarcastically, "Well, nice language, Hanajima-san. And yes, we have an idea about what to do. Unfortunately, it does include a variable we can't talk to you about." The two girls looked at each other, before Uo said, "Don't worry about it. As long as our Tohru and her Prince Charming don't get damaged." Hana added, "Or else..." Haru shoved his hands into his pockets and said, "Alright. Hey, we might need your help fucking Akito. Especially you, Hana. And Uo, we'll need you for battle-plans. I heard you were in that gang." Uo smirked. "Yep, and don't you forget it, white-haired-freak." Hana noticed that Haru had switched wavelengths, and deduced he must have a "white" and a "black" side. "See you then." The ox walked down the hall, clueless to where he was going, and most definitely didn't know how to get there.

Yuki and Tohru were talking quietly before Momiji found them. The rabbit burst into the empty classroom, and cried, "Tohru! Yuki! Haru and I wanted to talk to you about-" Yuki stood up from his chair, and said evenly, "Let me guess, Akito." Momiji's blue eyes hardened and he replied firmly, "Yeah. Haru's got a plan, but I don't think now is the right time..." The blonde boy hesitated before saying carefully, "...To discuss our party!"

Tohru blinked, and so did Yuki. Party? Where did that come from? Momiji swept the blue hat off his head and said formally, "The Sohmas invite Tohru Honda to join us in New York over Christmas Break, in celebration of Yuki Sohma and Tohru Honda's recent...collaboration!"

Tohru flushed and stammered, "M-Momiji! What ever would Yuki and I do in New York? And where could you get the money to send two people to America anyway?" Momiji's smile widened and he said cheerfully, "Oh no. We're not going to do that!" Tohru sighed with relief. But Yuki still hadn't relaxed yet. _I can tell that that isn't the end of the matter. _Momiji sang, "We're going too! All seven of us, except you two are leaving before us, two days, in fact." Tohru gasped as Haru slunk into the room. He played with one of the chains around his neck and said casually, "We have to get out of Japan to talk about Akito. All we need is an excuse, and you two and Christmas happen to fit very well. Oh, and it was Shigure's idea. Funny, he'd planned this two weeks ago with Hatori..."

Yuki grit his teeth. _Damn dog. Next time I see you, I'll kill you for sure. _Tohru had fallen back on a desk fro support. "Momiji, Haru, I can't except that! I've never been out of this country, let alone the continent! And New York...it's so...different!" Haru shrugged and said evenly, without the irony necessary to pull the comment off, "Well, then we'll have to kidnap you. Nobody to miss you, either..." He paused, obviously musing upon the possibilities. Yuki had already accepted the fact that they were going. What he was worried about was which seven of his cousins were going. He said witheringly, "Who's coming?"

Momiji exclaimed, "Um, let's see, you, Tohru, me, Haru, Shigure, Hiro, Kisa, Kyo, and...um...I think that's all! No, wait...Ayame!" Yuki blanched. His older brother released onto the streets of America? "You have _got_ to be kidding. Nii-san? New York City? Hell." Tohru glanced over at the rat, confused. _What does he mean? Ayame is fine..._Momiji grinned and brandished to tickets and sang, "You're plane is on Wednesday!" Flustered, Tohru reached for the tickets, but Yuki snatched them away first. He hissed to Hatori, "What is all this for?" Haru didn't answer, just said flatly, "Don't know. Don't care. It's a chance to see what happens when we release Shigure and Ayame upon the streets of New York. The Apocalypse? World War III? Or will America fall from its throne of power...?" Yuki dropped his head to his hands. His relatives were all freaks alone here in Japan. How could he survive the criticism of an entirely different country? Sighing, he said softly, "And when do the rest of you leave?" Momiji pushed Yuki's head away from his hands and said brightly, "We're leaving Friday!" Tohru objected weakly, "I-I can't go! There's too little time to prepare! And I only know how to say "I want that one please" in English! Yuki, do you know any English?" Besides panicking about how much money was being spent on her, Tohru was slightly ecstatic. Yuki's mouth twitched but he said dubiously, "I don't think that's the point, Tohru...but I do...Hey Haru, when is the plane...where'd those two go?" Tohru smiled and tipped her head, as if to say, "I don't know." The bell rang for class. "We'd better get back Tohru, or Kyo is going to blow a circuit."

"Okay Yuki. Hey, what day is it?"

"Tuesday."

"We're leaving TOMORROW?"

"It appears so..."

"We have to pack! And does Kyo-kun know he's coming? Did I do the laundry?"

"Tohru, calm down. We can worry about that later. First is class."

"R-right."

"Come on."

He grabbed her wrist before she could reply, and tugged her out of the classroom and down the hall. Laughing, he shook his hair from his face and turned back to smile at Tohru as they plowed through the crowded halls. His smile, which never had been released in such a public way before his school, made everyone stop in their tracks, mesmerized. Shocked, Motoko didn't even have time to rifle through her bag for the camcorder. Slowly, she sank to her knees in the middle of the hallway, and began to cry. The game was up. Prince Yuki was happy, and he would be forever. A ring of Yuki's fan club gathered around her, partaking in some sort of strange mourning ritual. Eyebrows twitching, Haru commented dryly, "What is this? A cult?" No one spoke, and the fan club were removed from the hallways by the teachers. But in a corner, Kyo and Minami glared at the two making their way into class 4-D. Neither was aware that their fingernails were breaking the skin on their palms, they just glared.

The last three periods of school were bursts of speed and slow. But when the final bell rang, Motoko stormed into the room, eyes ablaze and her hair untidily cut short. She walked up to the silver-haired teen and said shakily, "I-I drove from my college every week I didn't have class for you. I cut my hair short, and burned it not three hours ago. And this is how you repay me?" Yuki stood up smoothly, and said formally, "Motoko-senpai, frankly put, I've given you and the other girls some very key misconceptions. For starters, I _hate _fan clubs. Secondly, why did you do that, anyway? You're twenty-two, right? Honestly, is an unrealistic high school obsession keeping you from your life? And thirdly, Motoko-senpai, I believe what you've been doing to me for the last four years constitutes as stalking. Grow up, and go meet someone else who'll make you happy, because I am not him."

Lips trembling, Motoko leaned back from the teen, and said unevenly, "T-That's what I've been doing? St-stalking?" Yuki nodded, and Tohru stood up next to him. "Motoko-senpai, I don't really know you, but what I do know is that my mom always said that moving on is the best way to remember, not relive the past." Motoko bowed, and excused herself. The next day, she had moved out of Japan, and taken a translating job in Britain. All that had been holding her back from an executive job was Yuki, and that had been fixed.

Tohru and Yuki were walking through the airport, checking their passports. Excitedly, Tohru pointed to her picture and stressed, "Does that look like me?" Yuki nodded and pointed at his picture. "Does that look like me?" Tohru giggled slightly before agreeing. The time that the picture had been taken was five that morning, and indeed, Yuki did look like a walking cadaver, but at least the facial features were similar, and his eyes were open. The two arrived at the gate, after struggling through security, and sat down on the worn plastic seats at the terminal. Tohru pulled out her latest eccentric hobby, which was knitting, and began to evenly work the stitches from one needle to the other. Yuki sat and watched her, occasionally poking his finger through the button hole she had stitched in, so one could button the scarf tightly around the neck. Playing with the bumpy surface, his mind began to wander numbly. He didn't have anything to think about. A flight attendant walked past, her eyes focused on the two teens, and she said to her companion, "They're so cute together! But is that a girl or a boy next to the girl knitting? I can't tell!" Her companion giggled, and replied, "I hope they're a boy!" Yuki sighed. that was it. As soon as they arrived in New York City, he was getting a haircut. Almost reading his thoughts, Tohru reached out, and fingered his hair. She said playfully, "Yuki, you do look like a girl! If it grows any longer, I'll be able to pull it back with a headband."

He dodged her, and retorted, "Fine, I'll get it cut once we land! Oh, look...the plane's here." Jumping up, Tohru ran over to the window and pressed her face against the glass just like the all the small children around her. Laughing to himself, Yuki went to join her, his eyes finding the ribbon she had tied to her wrist before they had left the house. _Just like her._ Shouldering both their bags, he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, close, but not close enough to trigger the curse, and said cheerfully, "We'll be boarding soon Tohru." She placed her hands on his, and said softly, "What will New York be like?" Yuki shrugged, and said, "How could I know? I've never been there before. But I've been told it's like Tokyo." Tohru nodded, and she said, "Are we there yet?"

"Silly! We haven't even left Japan!"

"I know, but I really want to be there already!"

"It's going to take us about eight hours, so don't hold your breath."

"All passengers in Boarding Group A for New York City flight 12279, nonstop, please line up orderly to board plane!"

"That's us, Yuki!"

"I know, I know. Let's go..."

**Short chapter again. (Only 2844 words! I am ashamed...) Sorry, but I'm being swamped in school, and it's making me pissed. So I never have time to write. And on top of that, today I was seriously over scheduled. Let's see: School, my dogs ate my breakfast, then I had to skip lunch to retake a Math test, then there was me staying late for Art to finish a project, tennis photos, school photos, anime club, my brother's birthday, a school function, dinner (which I didn't eat), and now this. Thank God I didn't have any homework, or I'd be dead. Let's see, if you need to know anything from this chapter, just ask!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey! Sorry it so long to update, but this was a hard chapter write and balance with school. About two weeks ago I discovered 7th grade really sucks. Okay, so here's ch 8...this one will have 1,000 words per hour...I swear! (that's 8000+ words by the way) Oh, and the person they're sitting next to is kind of a really expensive "companion" so be ready for some references here. No lemon. This is entirely on the plane. Now, to begin my tale, as all writers do, with once upon a time...just kidding...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, but that could change, neh? (begins scribbling out evil plot)**

Chapter 8: Ha! Told You There Wasn't A Title! Oh, Wait...Crud...

Entering the compact space of the plane, Tohru suddenly had a memory surface of her in the closet during a thunderstorm. Scared to death, she had locked her self in, and was stuck for an hour before her mom found her. Shaking her head, as if to be rid of the thoughts, she glanced at the tickets before saying, "We're way in the back, Yuki." The teen nodded, eyes scanning down the rows at the disheveled people. His eyes rested on the two seats in the very back, next to the bathroom. He pointed them out to Tohru, and she checked their tickets before confirming that the pair were their seats. At first, Tohru was playing nervously with her ribbon tied to her wrist, but then she calmed down a bit. Yuki reached his hand out and ran his index finger along the band of color. Tohru glanced down, but looked away, color predictably rising in her face. "I-I was just wearing it because it's pretty and it m-matches-" His index finger had moved to her lips without him realizing. Yuki smiled slightly, and whispered, "It's alright, Tohru. Whatever it means, I'm happy." An awkward voice next to them said cuttingly, "Excuse me, but where are your parents, young ladies?" Yuki swung his head to his right, and glared at the young woman next to them. "I'm a boy, miss. And they're up three rows." The lie slid of his tongue easily, but Tohru looked forward, her face flushed and her fingers twisting the ribbon again. The woman bowed her head, and declared, "My name is Hikari Nanomo. You're a boy? I would swear Yuki's a girl name." Yuki's fist clenched the arm rest, and he didn't bother replying. Instead, he turned back to Tohru, and said haltingly, "So, what do want to do now?" Tohru raised her eyes in thought, and exclaimed, "Let's play checkers!"

"Checkers?"

"Yep. I've got a portable set in my bag!"

"Alright..."

While waiting for the plane to fill up, the pair dived into a complex checkers game, their surroundings dissolving with each intensified move. But after a game, the speakers blared some crap about destination, weather, and procedures before the plane began to move. Tohru gasped, and she reached over to grip Yuki's arm. She shut her eyes and held her breath once the jet engines roared to life. But it was the speed that got to her. The plane turned onto the tarmac, and began to go faster and faster, until Yuki could barely hear the strangled gasping of Tohru and the other first-fliers on the plane. A part of him wanted to gasp as well, but he couldn't for fear of Tohru beginning to cry. Finally, the cabin almost whining with speed, the bulk disappeared and the plane rose of the ground into the sky. Calming down, Tohru glanced over at Yuki, and noticed her fingers locked around his arm. She tried to pry them from his arm, but she couldn't move. The silver-haired teen looked down, and gently disengaged her fingers from his sleeve, careful not leave snags in the fabric from her nails. Flustered, tohru turned to face the front, and thanked him. "Say Yuki, what do we do once we land?" Yuki shrugged, not noticing the two girls across the row watching his shoulders rise and fall, and said, "All I know is that we will want to sleep. By the way, do you have any clue where we're staying?"

"Didn't they tell you?"

"No..."

"Shigure told me we're staying at...The Michelangelo? Why would someone name a hotel the Michelangelo?"

"I don't know Tohru, but if Shigure picked it out, be prepared for some strange stuff..."

"What?"

"Nothing..."

"You're staying at the Michelangelo?"

Yuki and Tohru turned and stared at Hikari, who was listening to music through a walkman, her head bobbing to the beats. She glanced down at her lap, and her voice broke before she said, "That's odd. I was told to meet two people at the Michelangelo for a trio. That wouldn't be you two, would it?" She looked up half-expectantly, her green eyes for the first time scanning the two people next to her. Yuki cocked his head one moment before one of the lines from Shigure's novels drifted across his eyes. _A trio consisting of three people who- _He cut the sentence off there with a shudder. It would be just like Shigure to do something like that. The woman shook her head at the frozen teen boy and the brunette next to him blinking in oblivious confusion. _Late pubescents, and still virgins. Why did I think it was those two anyway? _The music sputtered in her ears, the fast beats scrambling her brain comfortably, but not impairing her hearing as the girl asked the she-male with the pretty eyes what a trio was. She smirked slightly as he stammered, avoiding the question by pulling out a similar walkman and offering one side of the headphones to the girl. Toying with her slightly curly hair, she wondered who she was really going to meet at that hotel.

Tohru and Yuki were leaning towards each other, their heads pressed side by side and the headphones stretched out all the way to reach the exposed ears. Yuki's eyes were half closed, his brain almost shut-down as the flute music lulled and twisted. Tohru, however, was humming along as she somehow began to knit once again, occasionally raising the knitting to the face of the sleeping teen who was next to her, to compare the empty gray eyes to the gray and blue striped scarf she was creating for him. Happy with what she saw, the brunette moved the knitting away from Yuki's face and continued to steadily work through row after row, changing the CD to an old Heavy Metal thing she had inherited from her mother. The first track always made her think of her mother, but she was too concentrated on the scarf to even worry about that. Eventually, the blazing noise gained a swelling quality, and Tohru drifted off to sleep as well. The clock on Hikari's cellphone struck eight, as the girl and the she-male curled together, wrapped in an embrace across an arm rest, her fingers tangled in his hair. Hikari shook her head, and removed the earphones before turning to watch the pair wake up and discover what they had unknowingly done. It was a stewardess who pried them apart, saying something about prohibition of public displays.

But the she-male nor the girl woke up, even though Hikari poked at the she-male's sleeve relentlessly for five minutes. Finally, after flicking Yuki's head, Hikari managed to wake up the rat, who was shocked to discover Tohru's hand still attached to his hair. Sighing, he removed it before gently shaking the brunette awake. Her eyes fluttered and she gasped, "Where am I?" Yuki waved his hand to catch her attention. She turned to him, her eyes wide and her mouth open. "Where am I?"

"We're on a plane, remember?"

"Oh. Right..."

"Um, did you just flick me in the head a while ago?"

"Nope. Hey Yuki, do you want to play cards?"

"Cards? Like what? We don't have enough people to play rich man poor man."

"No, I meant something like Go Fish."

Tohru searched in her bag for a moment before extracting a deck of cards. Instead, Yuki pulled out his History textbook, and said softly, "Tohru, it's really early for that. Why don't we wait until we have nothing else to do? And you said you needed help with World War II in History, so I brought along my textbook. Would you like some help?"

Tohru dropped the deck into her lap, and nodded before leaning against Yuki to read his book, which was spread before him. Patiently, he began reading aloud, his finger tracing the words on the page if Tohru desired to read along. Hikari leaned back on her seat and listened the unnaturally smooth voice work its way through the section, sparingly stopping to answer questions. It was better than music. He began slowly, keeping a steady pace.

"World War II first began with the tension remaining from World War I, and the drainage of Germany's power. Promising the return of the Fatherland, Adolph Hitler was elected Chancellor of Germany, then leader. Japan, wishing the resources from the Dutch East Indies, attacks Pearl Harbor on the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, causing The United States to declare War on Imperial Japan on December 8, 1941."

"Hey Yuki, why didn't everyone sit down and just talk about all this?"

"World Leaders normally just want power, and they don't want to sit down and talk. They want to become the greatest, at all costs."

"Well, that's stupid."

"Yeah. It is."

Tohru listened silently as Yuki carefully processed the horrors, every new battle bringing her closer to tears. Finally with the dropping of the bomb, she reached out and splayed her fingers across the page. Yuki looked over at her, registering the tears caught in the corners of her eyes, and closed the textbook. He said gently, "Too much?" Tohru nodded, her hands rubbing her eyes madly to be rid of the tears. Not knowing what to do, Yuki slipped the book back into his bag, and glared over at the two girls across the way who kept watching him. "_What_?" The two girls blushed and turned to each other, babbling. Groaning, he ran his fingers through his hair, and started flipping through the current class book. He'd read it before, but he may as well start again. After all, he had time to kill. But something tugged his sleeve again, He looked down, and then over at Tohru, who whispered, "Can you please read that aloud? I don't know why, but when you read, it sounds like every-thing's right. So...could you?" She turned red, and Yuki blinked down at her before smiling minutely and turning back to the beginning of the book. He began again, the words flying from the page to his mouth, and settling in Tohru's heart.

"Haiku, an anthology of rhythmic poetry, compiled by R. H. Blythe. Preface: The history of mankind, as a history of the human spirit, may be thought of as consisting of two elements: an escape from this world to another; and a return to it. Chronologically speaking, these two movements, the rise and fall, represent the whole human history; and these two take place microcosmically many times in peoples and nations. Hey Tohru, do you want to skip all of this? Well, I'm going to...um, this one's good...After it was dark; I begin to want to change; The way I grafted it...here's another one...The skylark; Its voice alone fell; Leaving nothing behind..." Tohru glanced up from her knitting when the melodic reading stopped, and softly she touched his elbow. He stared down, no, through her, his eyes unfocused in thought. Finally, Yuki whispered, "I'm a skylark..."

Tohru studied him for one second for murmuring, "Yuki, you do leave something behind. Just not what you think. You leave behind...a peace, a calm I can't shake off without leaving your presence. And I like that. I mean, I'm a little scattered, but you calm me down, and every-thing's cool and clear. It's beautiful."

Yuki smiled and was abruptly poked in the back of the head. He swung around and grit his teeth before saying _almost_ impolitely, "Namodo-sama, what do you want?" The woman flipped her black hair behind her and said bluntly, "The girl over there with the neon green hair clip asked me to give you this." Yuki studied the folded piece of paper warily before taking it and reading it aloud, slowing down with every word.

"Hi! My name is Michi Hasho. I'm seventeen, blood type AB, I'm a Pisces, and I love guys like you. What's your name? Is it Tohru? And that girl next to you, is her name Yuki? Or is it the other way around, because that would be a little odd, since Yuki's a girl name and Tohru's a boy name...anyway, please write back."

Yuki crushed the piece of paper, and reopened it before writing carefully, "My name is Yuki. Tohru's my..." He paused, unsure what to write. Certainly not girlfriend or lover. He decided to leave the space blank. "...(blank), so I'm not interested. Nice try though. And how can you be sure that you like guys like me? I mean, you were judging that entirely off of what I look like, right? Usually, I'd try not to hurt your feelings, so if anything was done, excuse my rudeness. Have a nice time in America..."

He tossed it over to her, and watched her read the letter aloud to her friend, her eyes opening and her mouth forming a circle coated with lip-gloss. Michi glanced back over at him before almost bursting into tears, her friend clutching Michi's hands in hers. Yuki's eyes focused a little, and he noticed who Michi really was. It was that girl in class 4-B, the one who had confessed to him way back in his Freshman year. He hadn't even remembered her name of the girl he had almost allowed to hug him. Truly, his reflexes were faster, but she had caught him off guard, so he barely had saved himself and the Sohma curse. And he had thought she was pretty, in that normal way. Nothing like Tohru, but all these blasphemous thoughts were before he realized Tohru was his desire.

Slowly, Michi stood up, and stumbled across her friend to the aisle in between the row, and bowed. "I-I am sorry Yuki-kun, my friend wrote it, not me. It's just..."

Her long bangs covered her eyes, and she turned away, a ribbon of water droplets following her as she ran for the bathroom. Tohru stood up, and went to follow her, but was shoved aside by the friend. Yuki was frozen again. _Dammit, why the fuck do I have to go and get frozen exactly when I have to be fucking mobile? _Tohru turned to him, and said in a weak voice, "It's all my fault, isn't it? I mean, if I hadn't moved in with you and everyone, then maybe you would have gone back and said yes to her. And then because of me confessing, we meet up with her on the plane. It's my fault..." The teen couldn't move, but Hikari spoke up for him.

"Hon, you gotta realize what Shigure always says is true. Que sera sera. What will happen, will happen. And I believe you said something along the lines of "love happens" about two days ago."

"Hold up there, Namodo-sama, how do you know Shigure?"

Yuki had unfrozen, and was staring at the young woman next to him.

"Nanomo, Yun-Yun. Oh. He and I were old friends, from way back. I used to beat him up in elementary school."

"And that constitutes you as friends _how_?"

"He took my virginity. You must be Yun-Yun, his precious little cousin."

"_He did what_?"

Hikari ignored Yuki, and turned to Tohru, who was still blank.

"And you must be Tohru, the flower. I'm supposed to meet two people at the Michelangelo, that must be you two."

"_No. _I don't _care_ what that stupid lecherous cur told you, I am _not_ going to do-a-_a trio_ or whatever."

Hikari looked at Yuki for one moment before bursting into laughter. She gasped, "You actually thought something like that? My god, you really are 'Gure's cousin. No, Ahoru, I was kidding. I'm meeting Aya and 'Gure for a trio." Yuki blanched before turning red and saying unevenly, "W-What."

"Yep. I'm there for She-male Senior and...what did you say...'stupid lecherous cur'."

"That's _not_ the point. _Why_ are those two hiring out prostitutes?"

"For starters, I'm a companion, and secondly-"

"That was rhetorical. Please. _Don't answer_."

"Hey Yuki, what's a trio?"

"Well..uh...hey, do you want to play Go Fish?"

The next moment expanded oddly before Tohru nodded, and struggled back into her seat. She reached for the deck of cards, but when she looked back up, Yuki's hand was supporting his chin, his eyes seeing a different place. She shook his shoulder a little, just to be sure he wasn't asleep. His gray eyes flickered over to her face for one second before closing. He sighed and stretched, his head hitting the headrest before the teen curled into his seat, his head falling onto Hikari's shoulder. With a look of minor amusement, Hikari shrugged his head off and pushed him towards Tohru, who caught him before he fell forward. _Wow, Yuki's really knocked out. And my normal ribbons, they showed up about an hour before we left. Where did they go? _She let Yuki slump against her, and she began a game of solitaire, to pass the silent time by. Her hand froze as Yuki spoke, "Mom...Nii-san...why d-don't you make him s-stop..." He shivered, his head falling from Tohru's shoulder to the crook of her extended arm. _Another nightmare. _Tohru stroked his hair, just once, before murmuring, "I'm sure, whatever you're seeing Yuki, it'll turn out fine." The rat's face relaxed and he stopped talking, falling into an uninterrupted sleep.

**(Tohru plays several games of solitaire, and Yuki sleeps. Surprise surprise, neh?)**

Yuki awoke to the sound of a strange song playing in his ear. Unable to put his finger on what language the song was in, he twitched and pulled himself off of whatever his head was on. He glanced down, wondering what could be so soft on an airplane. _Of course. Tohru's lap. TOHRU'S LAP? _He ripped away out of instinct, expecting to be a rat or even naked. But when he thrust his arms into his view, they were still human and covered by his shirt. Sighing with relief, he turned to Tohru and said calmly, "I fell asleep again, didn't I? How long was I out?" Tohru checked her watch before replying, "It's ten thirty am, Japanese time. About seven thirty am in America...right?"

"Well, nine thirty pm, but close enough."

"Right. When do we get there?"

"American or Japanese?"

"American."

"Five am or so. We're dropping thirteen hours once we cross over London, or maybe only twelve...anyway."

The song started again, and he recognized that stupid song Shigure had falling in love with a year or so ago. The idiotic Romanian one that got stuck in your head for days and days. It had taken him a month to get it out of his head, and there it was again, except in a strange language. Wait, that was English blaring in his ear. Shaking his head, Yuki pushed the cellphone away from his ear and groaned, "Whoever you are, I'm awake already." Hikari said calmly, "Of course you are. Just fall asleep and leave your girl to play solitaire while you just talk about some bad-ass parenting you got." Yuki's eyes widened and his pupils contracted with surprise. He raised his head off the the table, worried.

"I-I said what?"

"Aw, did She-male Jr. not know he talks in his sleep?"

"W-what did I say?"

"Oh, just some crap about your mom and Aya. Nothing really. But you did say something about making a certain 'him' stop. Hey, were you abused when you were a kid or something, or is your head screwed on wrong like all the other Sohmas I know?"

"Namodo-san, I really can't tell you that."

"Right. Just like whenever I tried to hug Gure or Aya. They pushed me away. Well, they stop me, only Tori pushed me away. Ah, the days of high school..."

Yuki glanced over at Tohru, who was peacefully finishing her solitaire game, and ran his fingers through his hair. How he had ended up in her lap was unknown, but the question really was what did she think about Michi. _And if Shigure and Nii-san are hiring out girls, and sending them to NYC, I have a feeling that this vacation is going to be far from relaxing. _Tohru slapped down the last card with a yelp of delight and turned to Yuki before exclaiming, "That's my third win today!" Yuki smiled back at her, but neglected to hide the perplexity in his eyes before Tohru noticed. Shyly, she reached up to brush some of his hair from his face to look into the teen's gray eyes, her cheeks spreading to a pink. Yuki stared down at her as she laid her hand at rest at the side of his face and said softly, "Yuki, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Tohru, just I'm really tired from getting up so early this morning."

"Should we play Go Fish?"

"Alright..."

"Can I play?"

Tohru jerked away from Yuki and looked past him at the woman on his other side, who had been listening in. "S-Sure, Hikari-san. Yuki, can you deal?" The rat took the deck of cards from Tohru and began to patiently shuffle. Hikari watched the pair glance at each other as Tohru poked around her bag for one moment before extracting two lollipops, one of which she offered to Yuki. He took it, but carefully laid it aside instead of opening the colorful wrapper. Just as Yuki finished passing the cards out, a voice burst from the speakers.

"This is a flight from Tokyo to JFK airport in New York City, New York. If you haven't heard folks, there will be some turbulence tonight, and we are awfully sorry about that. On the brighter note, our flight attendants will be passing out lunch very soon."

Another voice cut in, and translated the warm English into cold Japanese, making Yuki's eye-brows rise.

"This is a flight from Tokyo to JFK Airport in New York City, New York. There will be some turbulence. Lunch will be passed out soon. Thank you."

The speakers cut off as a blushing flight attendant ask Yuki what he wanted, Dim Sum or Sukiyaki. He didn't want either, just a glass of water with ice, please. The flight attendant left without ordering for anyone else, and returned with a plastic cup filled with liquid, which Yuki drank. He turned to Tohru and said softly, "Do you have any tens?"

"How can you tell?"

"You do?"

"Yeah. My mom says it's 13:1 chance against that you guess right at the beginning of a card game. How'd you know?"

"I can't tell you, or I'd lose my edge."

She passed the ten to the teen next to her, and glanced down at Hikari for one moment before saying cautiously, "Hey Hikari-san, do you have any fours?" The older woman shook her head and pointed to the deck in front of Yuki, which regretfully, Tohru reached for. But another hand shot out and snatched the deck away before Tohru could draw. Stunned, she looked up into the fiery abyss of a flight attendant. "NO. GAMBLING." Hikari shrank as far into her seat as possible, trying not to get into the fight. Another flight attendant crept up to the angry one and pointed at Yuki, mouth open, before nudging the other flight attendant, who swept away, grumbling. Without returning the deck of cards. Tohru laid the seven cards she had on her table, and sighed. _Now what? _Her thought was answered, almost creep-ily, by Michi emerging from the bathroom only to faint dead away into her friends arms. Glaring, Michi's friend set her into her seat, and sat down her self, stealing death wishes occasionally to hurl at the two teens next to her. To her intense disappointment neither of the two noticed. However, she did understand why Michi-chan had fallen for that guy. _Yuki...right? He is pretty cute. Maybe I'll... _Rude plans began forming, as her eyes glazed over. Her future love life with Yuki Whats-his-name painted her face red, and she fainted alongside her friend.

Yuki glared at them past Hikari's head as that flight attendant tripped over them with an uncharacteristic screech. Cussing quite colorfully, the flight attendant hauled the two girls into their seats and turned to the silver-haired boy to tell him off, but the look of amusement on his face stopped her short. "S-Sir, is there something funny?" The person looked up and said calmly, "You really are a hypocrite aren't you?" The flight attendant blinked, before retreating. How could she answer that?

--

Glaring, Hikari reluctantly pulled the earphones from her ear and exclaimed, "Yun-Yun! Could you keep it down? Tegomass really doesn't go with Beethoven." The rat flattened his bangs, irritated, before stiffly turning to Hikari and letting loose exactly what he'd been wanting to say for the last hour. "Well, if you don't think the two go together, _stop listening into Tohru and mine's conversation. We both know the volume is low enough for you not to hear._" Hikari crossed her arms, and said gruffly, "Frankly put pretty boy,you piss me off. How the hell did a Sohma like you end up with some girl like Tohru-chan?" Tohru flushed, her fingers shaking as she obediently continued the scarf, pretending she couldn't hear Yuki try to begin.

"It has-um...You see, we met when she pitched her tent out in the woods...no...uh..."

"Yun-Yun, if you can't explain how you two met, then something is wrong here. Very wrong. Right Tohru?"

Tohru bit her lip to remind herself that she was pretending she couldn't hear, and evenly continued her knitting. she wasn't missing a stitch even though her hands were shaking so badly see couldn't read the words inked in on her hand. An old habit of hers that she never could shake off. _Think about the words on your hand, Tohru, and remember not to agree with Hikari-san, even though you are curious. _Yuki now had his head caught in his hands on the table. How could he explain this without the curse?

"We go to the same school, and we're in the same class, and she living in a tent in the woods behind my house, and then she started living with Shigure, Kyo and I...and that was sort of three years ago or so...so, um, yeah."

He finished off rather flatly and Hikari shook her head. She leaned out past the boy to speak to Tohru, who had a look of relief on her face. "I'm so sorry for you, Tohru-chan. You know what happens when you fall for a Sohma? Your heart gets bro-" Suddenly a hand shot out and covered Hikari's mouth. Startled, Hikari stared at the hand, then almost fearfully over at it's owner. Yuki stated softly, but almost cruelly, "I would suggest you don't finish that. You don't know me from God. And I am _sorry_ you fell for Hatori, but he's just like that anyway." He removed his hand and glanced over at the woman next to him. "Nanomo-san, are you alright?"

"H-How'd you know about 'Tori?"

"You're kidding. All of the girls in Hatori's class had a crush on him. Either that, or Nii-san, but Nii-san was just a little too creepy for most of them. Same with Shigure, who actually looks a lot like Hatori but is really a perv."

"I-I know that..."

"I know you know that, but that's not the point. Hatori's going to be in NYC with us. You ready to quote "do" Shigure and Nii-san on the same floor as Hatori?"

" 'Tori's coming? What about Kana?"

"What about her? She got married to someone else."

Hikari drew her hand to her chest and for one moment, looked exactly like a high school girl before whispering, "Really? Hatori-kun didn't tell me..." Yuki shrugged and replied, "He doesn't talk about it much. He really loved her." Hikari sighed, aging back to her actual age before going, "Oh." Now Yuki was interested. He asked, "Are you alright?" Hikari looked over at him, faking a smile before saying, "Yeah. I'm okay..." And then she turned away from him, facing the aisle, trying to sleep away her sorrow.

**Oops. That was depressing. Sorry about that, I have this whole pairing up of the male Sohmas about to happen here, so this is the beginning...And, I am sorry, but I just can't write out anything more on the plane, but I managed a good 4790 words! So very sorry, but ch 9 will be about their first day in NYC! I will try to make it funny because this chapter was a little hard to swallow. The History Text excerpt I wrote and the other excerpt was from five-book set about Japanese Haiku, by who I said it was by.**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm sorry, but ch 9 will NOT be about NYC, but rather Shigure's plot to put Tohru and Yuki together. It's an interesting tale of blackmail, manipulation, psychology, and of course, perv-ness. Be prepared, for ye be warned...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, and this chapter IS a flashback, sort of. More like an explanation. And SHORT...**

Ch 9:

Shigure was the one who saw it first. The constant flushing, the sudden caring of personal situation instead of the cold isolation. He'd seen it thousands of times. Hell, enough times to write about it. And to be truthful, what was going on in his own house was already interesting enough to become his next novel. But first, Shigure had to have an ending. So he built one for himself. His agenda was simple, and concise:

1) Decide who should get his flower

2) Plan accordingly

The first item was tough, but eventually, after two years of careful observation, with the three teenagers on the verge of confessing to each other, he chose Yuki. Sure, Kyo had his good qualities, but he wasn't predictable and therefore neither a good friend or lover. And a character based off of him just wouldn't sell. Plus, Yuki was virtually perfect. Literally. His one issue was that wall that Akito had constructed. But Tohru broke through that easily. So the decision was made, and a plan began to brew. His agenda lengthened according to his observations and his whims. After all, he did like screwing with people.

1) Do nothing about Tohru and Yuki physically; that was up to them on how fast it went.

2) Start putting mysterious messages in Kyo's room, in order to lead him away from the developing couple.

3) Work out certain details concerning personal relations between Tohru and Yuki.

4) Steal Tohru's normal school ribbons.

5) Respond to anomalies in subject's actions accordingly.

He started almost immediately after Yuki fainted on November 19th. That night, while the two teenagers were outside in the garden, he laid the first note on Kyo's bed, stole Tohru's school ribbons, leaving the ribbon Yuki had given her in prominence. The first note to Kyo read:

Kyo,

As the lovebirds bathe together in

one birdbath, the cat watches on, split

between pouncing and crying. The

dog watches the cat, not knowing how

to chase him away.

And amazingly, the next day, Tohru confessed. Shigure was pretty sure she hadn't meant to, but it was almost too perfect. And when he found Yuki getting dressed with Tohru on the floor, for one moment he had hoped that physical action had occured. Shigure was almost relieved when Tohru explained. His next novel would rock the world. And, he was having fun with doing this. Only Kyo would be this much fun to black mail. Only Haru and Ayame could make things worse. And only Hatori could be so cold. But that wasn't related. So, giggling, that night while Tohru tried to make dinner, Shigure put her ribbons back by her bed, and placed another note on Kyo's bed. It read:

Kyo,

Beware, for the lovebirds meet in

truth and cannot be disrupted by the

cry of one starving cat who cannot

reach them on the highest branch.

The dog watches the cat, plotting on

how to scare him from the tree.

He'd already planned the trip with Hatori, figuring that by Christmas his masterpiece would be finished and he could drag the family off to America. He never knew how wrong he was under December 17th, exactly three days before Tohru and Yuki were supposed to leave for NYC. Something had to happen, and happen fast. Airline tickets were hell to refund. Not to mention his "Reunion" with Hika-chan. He'd been looking forward to that.

It was almost like clockwork; everything was about to click. Except, of course, for the fact that Yuki had almost no social queues and Tohru was just too scrambled to do anything. At a staggering twenty-six days, Tohru and Yuki still hadn't quite reached the finish line, and Shigure was starting to worry about his editing date. So he decided to nudge Yuki a little. Well, more like shove roughly, but "nudge" sounds more subtle. He laid down one last note to Kyo, and once again took away Tohru's ribbons. All except for the White Day Ribbon. "TOHRU!" The next day, with one cry, he brought the two together. And it was so. Honestly, after two months of this, Shigure was starting to feel like God.

Grinning partly from pleasure at his cousin finding love, and his success with the manipulation, he watched on as Yuki somehow managed to convey his feelings, however awkwardly he did it. And then came his favorite part to watch: the physical confirmation. Otherwise known as the "first kiss". Well, this would be Yuki and Tohru's second, both total and together, but it was the idea that counted. Unfortunately, Tohru sent him away. How disappointing. No matter, he could listen in at least. How many more precious seconds before Kyo figured out the message and barreled in? Clearly, not enough, because Kyo came streaking past, a trial of particles of paper drifting down in his wake. A yelling match followed, and then Kyo left. There, the end of the story. Shigure was pleased, but nevertheless he wrote a fake note "from Tohru" to Kyo in order to calm him down. After all, no one likes it when a main character commits suicide.

Now: not to get caught. That would be the tricky part. As the first letter hit the page, Shigure knew that if Hatori even _happened_ to mention _anything_ about the pre-planned trip to Haru, then Yuki would know within _seconds_ of hearing about NYC. As if to confirm what he was thinking, he began to write faster, without pausing for grammatical correction or even punctuation. Hell, if he wanted to win a prize, he _had _to write fast. Or that prize would be posthumous. Very posthumous, if Yuki had anything to do with it.

**Yep. It all was fake. Well, not the feelings Tohru and Yuki and Kyo had, but rather the way the confession happened. What can I say? Shigure really does love manipulating people. By the way, the last note said:**

**Kyo,**

**The two lovebirds finally meet.**

**How will the cat react? Quickly he**

**goes, trying to catch the female **

**before the male calls out his mating**

**call. The dog watches on as the cat**

**attempts to kill the male but fails.**

**Ch 10 WILL be about NYC. I just HAD to explain this before I forgot it all...so, um, I think that is all. Oh! If you don't get the letters just ask me what they mean, so I can shoot down questions personally, according to each person's needs. See? If Shigure had been successful in manipulating everyone (Lord knows he tried...), then Tohru probably would have ended up with Yuki. Think about it, people. Sayonara or Oyasumi, depending. Oh, this chapter was meant to be kind of pointless, but what fun I had writing it. Shigure is hilarious to write about...**


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm sorry about the really long waits on the updates, but I just reread book 15 (I hate that book, why do I keep rereading it?) so I'm in "depressive" mode. And Literature teacher is giving me hell on this research paper on "The Jungle". For those who have been biting their nails waiting for Yuki and Tohru to land in JFK airport, relief is on your way. And just to warn you here, if you don't recall, Shigure made the hotel reservations. Just saying...And Italics in quotes means English, fyi. Usually...try to apply it to the situation...**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Fruits Basket, or even characters, except for Hikari Nanomo and Keiko Miyazoma. But they come in later...**

Ch 10: Served You Right. Chapter Nine Actually Didn't Have A Title.

At exactly 5:03 in the morning, Eastern Time Zone, a Boeing 707 full of Japanese people and some sparse Americans landed in JFK Airport, and were processed. Exactly one of those inhabitants fell asleep while standing in line at Customs, eventually falling into the brunette in front of him, causing him to change into a small rodent. And approximately two people, one being the rodent and the other being the brunette, gave a shit. In a sense, this was their first clue that they were officially in New York City. And in the other sense, it also meant that soon the rodent would change back into his human form, unfortunately naked. People randomly changing into animals; that New York City TSA officers could ignore. But nudity? Forget pepper spray, they hit that Japanese sucker with a dart gun. Five minutes later, Yuki regained consciousness in a dangerously generic room.

"Yuki? Are you okay?"

"Ngh...I fell asleep...and then I changed...and then..._shit_!"

Yuki pulled up into a sort of vertical position in the cot and cried out in English, "_I'M SO SORRY! THAT WAS...UM..._" Upon forgetting the English word for "unintentional", he continued on in Japanese, hoping somebody present could translate. No one could. Tohru tried though. "_Um...Yuki talk none, please...how do you talk it?...um...he is under...influence of night!_" For one moment she seemed proud of herself, until one of the TSA officers turned to Hikari, who had followed out of sheer curiosity, and said, "_He's high?_"

"_No sir. Tohru meant drowsy. Neither of them speak English very well._"

"_Ah. What was he sayin' earlier?_"

"_He said something along the lines of I'm sorry, it was unintentional. Made an excuse that didn't make any sense. Something about being hypnotized by some shrink in Japan so that whenever he fell, he changed into a rat, and then reappeared naked. Said it is all an illusion, but it never wore off._"

"_Ah. Well, if we can't charge him for nudity if it was all an illusion, or it was entirely unintentional, then I guess we can let him go...I think..._"

"_Thank you officer._"

Hikari turned to the two teens, who were white-faced and confused by more than half of the English, and said bluntly, "You two, let's go. Yun-Yun, I suggest you don't fall anymore. Plus, you also owe me a drink, 'cause I saved your sorry asses from being hauled back to Japan or even worse, some hell-hole like Guantanamo." Yuki was the first to recover, and said coldly, "Thanks, but people under the age of twenty-one can't drink in the United States, let alone enter a bar. Nice try." Hikari shrugged and replied, "Hey, it was worth a shot. So, see you two in two days?" Without waiting for an answer, she twirled around and stalked off, hailing a taxi cab and immediately carrying out an argument with the driver before she even got in. Tohru turned to Yuki, and said timidly, "So...where to next?" Yuki looked down at her and replied assuringly, "We pick up our baggage...which is...over there." The pair left the TSA office and struggled into Baggage Claim, where the retrieved their luggage without confusion.

But standing outside in the crisp, unmistakably polluted New York City street, they were completely and entirely lost. A white taxi pulled up upon Yuki somewhat awkwardly thrusting his hand upward. The cab driver hopped out of the driver's seat, and snatched Tohru's purse and roller bag and threw them into the trunk. After repeating the ritual with Yuki's bags, he asked them where they were going in very fast, very unintelligible English. The silver-haired teen stammered an address, and the tax driver pushed them into the back seat before careening off like a drunken Ayame at the wheel of a tank through the streets of downtown Manhattan. Within five minutes, the driver announced they had arrived at the Michelangelo, which indeed they had. Yuki helped Tohru unload their things and paid the taxi driver with a twenty, asking him to "_hold the plus_". Exhausted, the two entered the hotel, somehow checked in, dragged themselves to their room, and promptly fell asleep on the same bed, which neither had noticed was the only one in the entire room.

Three hours later, the two woke up again, both shocked to discover in sleep, they had curled together and by transforming into a rat and back, Yuki was naked, and Tohru had Yuki's face against her chest. It took about one nanosecond before they sprang apart, each trying exactly not to think what they had done. And before Yuki could even apologize, Tohru had locked herself in the bathroom, squeaking apologies that made absolutely no sense. "Yuki! I'm so sorry, it seems that we hugged while we were asleep...and...gah! What are these doing here?" Quickly pulling his shirt back over his head, Yuki knocked on the door and said softly but sharply, "Tohru? Are you alright? What did you find?" The reply sounded embarrassed beyond all belief. "Do-Do I really have to tell you?"

Nevertheless, the door clicked again. Tohru stumbled out, her hands closed over something that she utterly refused to show to Yuki. She bounded past him, her face bright red, and threw whatever it was away in the trash. Inhaling deeply, she turned away from the trash can and said slowly, "Yuki, I'm sorry, but that was disgusting. You were right; Shigure put us someplace weird..." And she burst into tears. That was enough to make Yuki mad. Frozen, not sure how he could comfort Tohru when he didn't even know what was wrong, his brain slowly came to a conclusion. _Ooh... Shigure, breathe while you can. _"Tohru, I am so sorry. I'm sure Shigure didn't mean too do this to us, maybe he reserved the wrong room or something..." _I'm lying through my teeth. _Sobbing, she sat down on the bed and flopped backward, her hair fanning out everywhere and her words still distorted. "Th-That's just so gross...and I though New York would be fun and all, but now this..." Yuki lay down next to her, afraid to touch her shoulder to calm her down, but afraid not too. What did he know anyway? He touched her shoulder anyway. She turned to face him and cried, "That is so wrong! I just want to go ho-home before it gets any worse...Uo-chan, Hana-chan, what do I do now?" Yuki moved some of her hair away from her face and said evenly, "Tohru, just calm down, okay? If we call Hatori, then he'll sort things out. All we have to do is calm down and probably within the hour, we'll move somewhere else." He reached to his right, picked up the phone and called long-distance for Hatori Sohma. Finally, he heard Hatori say flatly, "Yuki? Why are you calling?"

"Hatori, the perverted dog put us in some weird hotel. Two requests: one, could you find a way to change our hotel, and two, could you kill Shigure. Please?"

A snigger from another line broke the shocked silence.

"Shigure, if you are on the other phone right now, let me _assure_ you I will _kill you _so _slowly_ that all of your _bastard_ children will be cursed to feel the excess pain _you_ experience."

"Shigure, what did you do to Tohru and Yuki?"

"Nothing..."

"Anyway, please Hatori? Tohru fell into hysterics because she found some weird stuff in the bathroom."

"I'll see what I can do. I'll call you once I have new reservations set up."

(The line shuts off)

Within fifteen minutes, Yuki and Tohru were moved to separate rooms on a different floor in the hotel. Within twenty minutes they had unpacked again and out on the streets of New York, either in search of breakfast, lunch, dinner, or whatever meal was currently happening in America. A dank sign with a plate of pie attracted Tohru's attention, and they entered the shop. It was moments before a waitress, decked in a white uniform and a wide white headband to hold her hair back, caught their attention. At first, the teen girl seemed to be rambling her usual intro. "_Welcome to Emerald City, home of the Wicked Flapjacks. My name is Katie and I will...be...yooooooour...um..." _Bythen she had opened her eyes and realized that these people were understanding about .01 of what she was saying. And the dude was hot. But putting that aside, she had a couple of foreigners on her hand, and the only other language she knew was Spanish. Oh well, she might as well give it a shot. "Recepción a Emerald City, hogar de los panqueques travieso. Me llamo Katie y um..._damn_." Finally, after figuring out that the two people weren't from a Spanish-speaking country, the waitress decided to skip the introduction, and motioned for the two to follow her. Silence enthused as the boy whispered something to the girl in some Asiatic language. Japanese maybe? One of the regulars, and old private from World War II, cried out, "_Damn Japs! Beat you sure flat but you still invadin'?_" Poor man was senile. Luckily, neither the boy or the girl seemed to understand. Thank god for Japanese-American Industrial rivalries.

Yuki, after noticing the teen girl had stopped talking and was starting in some god-forbidden other language he didn't even recognize, decided to look clueless and hope for the best. Well, it seemed to work, because the waitress motioned for them to sit down at a booth at the other end of the store. As he and Tohru walked towards the booth with the waitress, people stopped talking and stared. And one old guy spat out something in English Yuki understood but didn't want to translate for Tohru. Time for the clueless act again. He muttered to Tohru, "They sure look glad to see us..." Tohru just smiled, afraid that she'd burst out laughing if she opened her mouth to reply. They both chose the first on the menu, something called the "Wicked Flapjacks", which seemed to be the house special.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, the waitress returned with a steaming plate of green, flat pieces of pastry. The one time Yuki _had_ had pancakes, they had most definitely _not_ had been green. Tohru looked a little surprised at the plate the two were sharing, but got over it quickly. She reached for her fork and carefully cut a piece off of one flapjack, and chewed it slowly, her eyes growing wider and wider with every second. "It's...it's like pancakes! Exactly like pancakes!" Yuki blinked, his fork halfway towards the plate. Silence, before...

"_Tohru_! Flapjacks _are_ pancakes!"

Yuki broke into laughter, his head thrown back and his right hand on his forehead. Weakly, he pointed with his other hand at the plate and gasped, "_We ordered green pancakes_! I can't believe it!" Tohru poked a pancake on the plate and said dubiously, "But it's _green_. Pancakes are _brown_..." Even though everyone was staring at him, Yuki couldn't stop laughing. The utter confusion on Tohru's face had entirely dislodged him from his usual demeanor. On top of that, she had caught him off guard. _Nobody but Tohru would know exactly the wrong thing to say to make things right_. Yuki turned to look out the window, almost shameful of his laughter. And of hiding it from Tohru so long. He knew hearing someone like him laugh like that wasn't just unusual. It was unnerving. But he couldn't stop laughing under his breath. Something wet trailed down his cheek. _Am I crying? It wasn't that funny. This must look pretty scary right now: a non-gender specific person who is attractive first laughing out loud like a maniac then falling into tears. _To calm himself down, he tried counting the taxis going past. It didn't work. A hand covered Yuki's mouth, stifling the laughter. Was it his? He glanced down at it. It was his.

"Yuki..."

"Hm?"

"You're bleeding."

"I'm what?"

"Bleeding. It's everywhere."

Horrified, the rat looked down only to discover no blood. Curious, he glanced up at the girl across from him, who was kneading her fingers together. Jut to be sure, he wiped away the wet stuff and tasted it. Salty water, definably not blood. Tohru reached across the table and took Yuki's hand off of his mouth. Her eyes were pleading for him to to stop crying.

"Your heart's bleeding. Did I...?"

"No...it's something else."

Smiling for Tohru, Yuki began to eat, shaking his head. Silence except for the sound of people eating. Outer Yuki was in control again, even though Inner Yuki had temporarily been free. But Tohru didn't move.

"Yuki, I want to help, but how can I when all I see is a single layer?"

"Did you say something Tohru?"

"No. Yes...Yuki, what's wrong?"

It was almost as if time had slowed down. Yuki stared at Tohru, eyes wide and his hand back over his mouth, like he did when he said something he didn't mean too when he was around Akito. Like he had ever since he was six. Tohru stared back at him, flushed but serious, her arms wrapped around herself like a shield. It was exactly like the first time Yuki had said anything remotely personal to Tohru. When he been forced to dress like a girl. He'd never seen her reaction but he knew that after that his hand had been on his mouth for the next minute as he walked down the stairs from the roof. Tohru was reaching out to him, but Outer Yuki couldn't let it go. He just couldn't.

"I'm...sorry..."

"Yuki, why don't we go back to the hotel? You're-"

"I'll be fine. Let's go."

The silver-haired boy stood up, and the brunette clumsily followed his movements, almost like a bird learning how to fly. His hand still clamped over his mouth, Yuki's other hand reached for Tohru's, which she took, and the two left the diner. And returned a minute later escorted by police to pay their bill.

--

The first thing they pair saw was the Metropolitan. Yuki was sure that Tohru wouldn't be interested in museums, but she asked to see it first. When they entered the sincere building, Tohru was instantly in awe. Was this a mistake? It was a palace! But Yuki seemed unaffected by the splendor, one hand over his mouth and the other firmly but nervously clutched around Tohru's hand. It was almost as if he'd entirely retreated into himself, and was acting automatically. And neither he nor Tohru knew if he'd ever come back out. But Tohru tried.

"Yuki, have you seen anything as pretty?"

"I don't know mother..."

"Mother?"

The rat glanced fearfully at the girl he had once again called his mother. Slowly, like he was drilling a well-learned lecture into his memory, Yuki recited wearily, "Tohru, not mom. Honda-san, not mother. Brown-hair, brown eyes, seventeen, likes strawberries, knitting, cooking, and sweets."

Tohru's eyes widened as Yuki repeated the phrase over and over again. _Is he having that much trouble discerning me from his mother? _Finally opening his eyes again, Yuki glanced at the statue for a moment before saying softly, "I have seen something as beautiful." He faded off for a moment before continuing, "It was when I was five or six, and I helped this lost girl home. That moment, when she and her mother were reunited was so wonderful I cried."

Tohru blinked, not exactly putting two and two together, but surprised by his answer. She hadn't realized how different Yuki's scale of beauty was. _No wonder he thinks I'm cute. _Her brain slowly began to connect the two thoughts, and a memory surfaced. It was that one time when she had gotten lost. A boy wearing a hat over his eyes had guided her home, He'd given her the baseball cap and disappeared. His voice...it had been sweet, sad, and subtle, like he didn't, no, wasn't, meant to be heard. Almost like..._no, he couldn't have been. Yuki probably wouldn't ever wear a baseball cap in the first place, let alone own one. But then again..._

"Tohru-san?"

"Y-Yes?"

"That girl was you."

The rat had turned back to face her, his face calm but his eyes begging for something. Tohru's mind missed a few clicks before stuttering to a rare halt.

"S-San?"

"Sun? What about the sun? It's cloudy today." _I didn't know she knew the word "sun" in English._

"No, the suffix "-san". You just used it."

"I-I did?" _Oh._

Grasping for extra time to reboot, Tohru lost the meaning of the words.

"Wait, you're saying...you were that boy?"

"Yes..."

"And you think that a mother and her child is more beautiful than a statue from the Renaissance."

"I guess..."

"But I don't understand, not all of it. There's more."

Yuki's face froze to a mask. He stepped back, his hand falling to his side. On a tendency that had become impulse, he turned to run, but Tohru wouldn't let go of his other hand. Sighing, he faced Tohru again and gently removed his hand from hers, drawing it back to himself mechanically. Swearing that a haircut was in his near future, Yuki pushed hair from his face for the millionth time and opened his mouth. But the words he had planned refused to escape. _You've been saying these words over and over in your head for years. Just say it._

"My parents were...cold at best. Onee-san had his friends, but I...I had no one."

Tohru was listening, her head cocked to the side and her hands to her throat. Even though her face was blank, her fingers were clutched around the ribbon on her wrist. She was ready for anything he could say. _Say it! _

"My parents sold me to Akito for power when I was five or six."

"How could they?"

Tohru hadn't meant to ask it: Yuki could see the surprise in her face. But it was a valid question. And something Yuki didn't know.

"I-I don't know how they could, but they did."

He could feel himself retracting into the very core of his heart. But Tohru..._Tohru..._

"I was special. The "closet to God". The zodiac who was too good to play with the others, or even attend a public elementary school with them. The most powerful of the zodiac. But I was the most hated. Haru, Kyo, Ayame, Shigure...they all had no want or need for my existence. It was as if the world had evolved, and I had been left behind along with Akito. The only zodiac with no one."

The Metropolitan had melted away when Yuki wasn't looking, and he and Tohru were drifting in a dark abyss. But Yuki was used to the abyss: it had always been there. It was his abyss, or rather he was the abyss's. He had had it ever since he was born. All seventeen years of his life, he'd tried to find a way out, but no matter where he looked or felt, there was no escape. It used to be that he couldn't even see through the walls of the abyss. But ever since Tohru had moved in with Shigure, Kyo, and him, the walls had become invisible. _Tohru...How did she? I...need her to breathe or...it wasn't worth it..._

"And then I became sick...I couldn't bear it...so I left..and, I saved you...I guess..."

"You led me home, and then..."

"It got worse. Akito just became more and more unstable."

_Whenever i reach out to Tohru from the abyss, even when the I can see through the walls, there is still a wall between my fingertips and her. _Tohru had stepped forward, statue, and original purpose forgotten. All she could see was the flash of the boys face before the baseball cap had obstructed her view. He had looked so relieved for her, even if he didn't even know her name. And what he had said to her...and the first time Uo and Hana-chan came over...

"Thank you."

"What?"

"Yuki, thank you so much for leading me home. But, all of that has passed by. Akito, the isolation, even the severity of your disease has diminished. I mean, you have Hatsuharu, all of the Yuki fan-club, student council members, Momiji, Kisa, Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori. Even Kyo, in his own way. In fact, you are surrounded by people who want to truly be with you. We all feel better when you smile, and I can't speak for everyone else, but it hurts when you're sad. And even if you had no one then, you have them now, right?"

"I-I guess,"

"So why worry about it? I mean, this is a variation on what my mom used to say. "Just be yourself." If you let it go, then it'll hurt less and you can be you."

Tohru blushed at her rant and stopped speaking. Even though her words were comforting, Yuki had another issue.

"But, what if..."

"Hm?"

"What if..you..towards me, the..._real _me..."

He was afraid to even finish the sentence. What if Tohru didn't love the unfiltered Yuki? He'd die from grief if that were true. Something touched his back, so softly that he didn't feel it until he looked down into Tohru's face staring up at him, tears in her eyes and her hands spread across his back. Startled, Yuki lifted his arms to push her away before he transformed, but they dropped to his side. She wasn't hugging him, just so close it resembled an embrace.

"This how close I can get, isn't it?"

"Tohru...the curse!..."

"I don't care about the curse!"

Yuki paled. He'd never heard Tohru raise her voice. But there she was, practically yelling. Tohru's fingers dug into the fabric of Yuki's coat, and she repeated more quietly, "I don't care about the curse. It's not the curse that let's me live with it for nothing. It's not the curse that made me become friends with the rest of the zodiac. And I'm sure, no, positive that the curse isn't what made me love you."

Suddenly the Metropolitan screeched back into an embarrassing existence. Faces had swiveled towards the pair, each depressingly unfamiliar. Yuki blushed self-consciously, and a little boy exclaimed, "_Why is that girl hugging the other girl_?" Caught off guard, Yuki grit him teeth and grimaced, "Girl?"

"Oh no! Did I call you a girl? I'm so sorry, it's just-"

Tohru paused, her hands releasing Yuki's coat and covering her mouth. Her face was totally unreadable, her eyes wide in surprise, and her eyebrows risen in embarrassment. It was like she was trying to express three different thing on her face all at once. Her shoulders jerked as if she was sobbing, and a muffled sound protruded from beneath her hands, but there were no tears.

"What's wrong? I'm sorry, I think...?"

"No! I just got the -hic!"

"What? You have the what?"

"-Hic! I had to get the hiccups! Now of all places!"

"Tohru, I think we should go...everyone's staring."

And it was true: the hushed buzz the museum had possessed before had dissipated. Even people who didn't know Japanese were staring. Those who did understand Japanese were politely looking away, although their eyes still were focused on Yuki and Tohru. quietly, they murmured to each other, appalled by the public display of emotion. Frankly, it was distasteful in their eyes. Tohru shook her head, brown hair whipping after her, and ventured, "You must think I'm so dense, but I can't bear it...the curse isn't Yuki, Kyo, or anyone. It's just a factor to your personalities, but the curse isn't _you_. I'm not making sense, am I?"

"No, you're making perfect sense, but..."

Tohru finally looked around herself, gasping as around sixty pairs of eyes returned the gaze.

"Y-Yuki? Why are people staring at me?"

"Tohru, I believe two thirds of these people think we're shameless. The other third think we're loons. I suggest we leave as inconspicuously as possible."

"What?"

Yuki stepped back from Tohru, sliding the strap of his bag higher up on his shoulder, and then reaching for her hand. Tohru's brain kick-started into gear again, and she noticed it. _That look in his eyes again...Is it...repentance? _Snatching Yuki's hand before he could take it away again, Tohru smiled and sang, "I forgive you! Let's go before someone calls the police on us again."

In a sudden moment of realization, both the brunette's and the rat's eyes widened slightly. _That night...Hana-chan had asked, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if the two of you met again and fell in love?" She knew. She always knew._

The doors of the Metropolitan opened almost on their own accord, spraying Yuki and Tohru's face with premature snow. _Tohru understands, and she forgives me for being so twisted. And here I thought I couldn't love her more than I already did. _The two sprinted through the traffic of people down to the subway, avoiding each other's glances. But just as the subway roared into the station, wafting stale air towards the pair that caught Tohru's hair in a vortex, gray and brown eyes met, just for a second. Once again, a thought that was neither Yuki nor Tohru's, but shared, bloomed into the shattering abyss. _Oh._

_Thank you, Hana and Uo-chan._

_Thank you, Tohru._

**I am so sorry that all this stuff is the depressing part...but I just had to get this stuff over with before the Sohmas arrived (next chapter...). Expect humor next chapter, I think...Next chapter will be out around late December, so...um...until next time! Very dialogue-y chapter, I know, I know...but manga is a combination of dialogue and pictures, so once changed into the literary form, just remember that the plot-line in a manga is usually carried on by dialogue anyway. Oyasumi! Sayonara! Gracias por su atención! (Spanish! Gasp!)**

**Preview (I think...)**

**"You want what?"**

**"A piano!"**

**"A piano? Why?"**

**"They're so black and shiny!"**

**"Um..." **


	11. Chapter 11

**Moving right along...ahemAyame will be naming some brands, so I don't own those either. Oh...piano store is real and isn't mine...and I'm sorry, I'm getting the feeling that Hikari is turning into a Mary Sue...but I'll fix that soon...**

**Ba-chan (old lady)**

**Onii-san (older brother**

**Onee-chan (older sister)**

**Disclaimer: Yo no tengo Baskets Frutas (um...I think that's how you say it in Spangneselish). **

Chapter 11: Someday I Might Try Writing An Actual Title...Hmmm

"YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUKI!" It was truly a sight to see, a man (or was it a woman?) weaving his way through the JFK airport Christmas traffic, yelling out this word over the hum of the airport. As it turned out, the word was a name, and the boy who possessed it was standing next to security like a deer caught in a car's headlights. Yuki had had come to the grim conclusion that his brother's unfortunate public displays were inevitable. It was best to submit rather than resist the embarrassment. After Ayame came the clot of Sohma; Kisa clinging to a satisfied Hiro, both with grins on their faces, but for different reasons; Shigure babbling to Hatori with no sign of halting his ignored soliloquy; Momiji bouncing around and Haru behind him, eyeing the airport with an aura of confusion and indifference; and that person angrily following up the rear, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else: Kyo. Even though Ayame had been charging forward at the rate of a rhinoceros, Kisa and Hiro got there first.

"Onee-chan!"

Breaking away from Hiro, Kisa jumped into Tohru's arms, her face in pure bliss. Then Ayame followed, flinging his arms around Yuki and beginning grandly, "My little Yuki-bozu! It's been so long since we've seen each other! Ah, and here we are in NYC, America! The latest fashion capital! I must take notes! You could come with me and we could see the Macy's store and the Vogue office! And-"

Yuki tried to stifle the rant calmly at first, hoping his older brother might listen. He began slowly, "Onii-san, I _hate_ fashion-"

Ayame barged right through the carefully checked irritation and continued loudly, "-We simply _must_ go see the Statue of Liability and-" _I'm going to try one more time before I hit him..._

"Statue of _Liberty_, Onii-san, and _for the second time_, I hate-"

Once again, the rat was cut off, this time by Shigure, who appeared at Ayame's side with his arm slung around Ayame's shoulder and the other hand balled into a fist under his chin except for the usual index finger and thumb stuck out in that strange "L" shape. He sang, "Yun-Yun! My little Flower! Did you enjoy your time together...alone?" It was like someone had stamped "pervert" on Shigure's forehead at birth. _There is something wrong with Shigure. _Instead of losing his carefully measured temper, Yuki bowed his head and let it go. _Calm down! The last time you broke out like that you nearly ruined every chance you had. _Shigure, who was assuming that his twisted plan had worked, began to ask for details when a hand clamped onto his shoulder. Slowly, he turned his head, his face frozen in glee, and faced Hatori, who for once had abandoned his stoic appearance. "Shigure...if you ever do that again, I will personally ruin you in every way possible..."

"Oh. You make it sound like I did something wrong? You wanted it, right, Yun-Yun?"

_Oh, crap... _Yuki could practically see Ayame's ears perking up. Before the snake could even add onto the catastrophic situation, Yuki had ripped himself from Ayame's grip and slipped away, choosing a safe position next to Tohru four feet away.

"So, did you?"

"Excuse me?"

Yuki wasn't even thrown off beat by the fact that Haru had silently come into existence next to him. But he wasn't going to answer any questions. First of all, it wasn't any of their business, and second of all, why would he and Tohru do something like that anyway? Silence reigned over the two cousins for a second, and Yuki leaned his head back against the pillar, closing his eyes and hoping that when he opened them, his family would be gone. Haru also leaned his head back, but chose to leave his eyes open, feeling that if he closed them, he would fall asleep. Flying with Momiji, Shigure, and Ayame was like being forced to babysit three whiny babies.

"Well, did you?"

"Haru, one more time...and I swear..."

"Alright: Well, did you?"

"No. Go away, please."

Momiji saw the two zodiac against the pillar, and started towards Tohru, his arms outstretched. But just before he made contact, a hand shot out and yanked him backwards by his collar.

"Autsch! Yuki...let go of me! I want to hug Tohruuuuuuuuuu!"

"Momiji, please don't, this is hard enough without us having to wipe the memory of about five hundred people."

Momiji stopped struggling and sighed. He walked over next to Tohru and carefully joined the cloud of zodiac around her, including everyone but Yuki, Hatsuharu, and Kyo. _Where is he anyway? _Yuki scanned the area around the Sohmas and noticed Kyo next to the opposite pillar, his face stiff and surrounded by a halo of everyone else's abandoned luggage. Dreading the consequences, Yuki loosely made his way over towards most certain doom. Suddenly Haru and Shigure were next to him, matching his pace.

"Yuki, my love, don't do it. It's suicide."

"Do it, Yun-Yun! I need the confrontation after the confirmation!"

Yuki stopped in his tracks, spun on his feet and stressed irritably, "_What_?" Haru felt obliged to reiterate Yuki's opinion. "What the _hell_...did...you just say...?" It was funny how quickly Shigure seemed to melt under death glares from two Sohmas at once.

"N-Nothing. Oh. Hello Kyon-Kyon!"

Kyo's face screwed itself into a snarl and he raised his fist, obviously thinking of correcting Shigure, but something held him back. He could just see why that damn rat was coming over: to rub his accomplishment in Kyo's face. Beginning to work himself into a furor, Kyo's face progressed from a snarl into an inhuman mask hatred. Yuki was unfazed. He'd had just about enough of Kyo and his ridiculous prejudice. And it was time they got this over with once and for all. Yuki was five feet away when Kyo walked out to met him, his eye brimming with malice. Just for one moment, the two cousins just looked at each other, both trying to decide what to say first.

"Hypocrite."

Yuki decided to go first. Kyo was taken aback a moment before retaliating, "Traitor!"

"Idiot, will you shut up and listen to me-"

"You're always so high-and-mighty Mr. Perfect! Why can't you just take your head out of your own-"

Kyo's brain was running through several off his best opinions of Yuki, realizing for once the rat was actually listening. What he didn't notice was the lack of anger Yuki was possessing at that moment. _Mr. Perfect, you and your damn perfect life. You're so perfect that whenever you even twitch God applauds it as his masterpiece...why can't you at least pretend that you're not better? I mean, you're a zodiac already...you've got parents, REAL parents, and you're so good at everything you decide to touch...and you have Tohru. That's what counts most. You have her already, so what're you doing with me all this time? Go make her happy already! We both knows she needs someone...and if it ain't me, and even though you'll do a better job with it...you just better follow through on this, Mr. Perfect...my God...what am I doing? This fight is already won._

Seeing the swirling conflicts on Kyo's face, Yuki took the moment and cut him off.

"_No_. I know what you're about to say, and I can't. You want a reason? Because my head's not there in the first place!"

Kyo backpedaled furiously, hitting the pillar. He'd never seen the rat get so pissed before. Yuki followed after him, disregarding the eagerness in Shigure's face and the concern in Haru's. Before he knew what he was doing, Yuki had come face to face with Kyo, standing directly in front of him, securing him against the pillar and their eyes inches away. _Wow...he's actually afraid of me? I can see it in his eyes...Kyo, you hypocrite, I hope you're listening..._Yuki's eyes narrowed with anger and he began forcefully,

"_You _listen_ to me_. I know what you're thinking Kyo, because I think about it too. You know, she confessed by accident? I wasn't even sure what she meant. Was it friendly or...what I hoped it was? I was like that for a whole _month_, and three more years before that. She didn't talk to me for a _month_. And every time I see her with you, and she forgets about me because you're hurt or having one of your idiotic fusses, I think about that. That one time when she couldn't talk to me. And honestly, I thought that she would pick you. But then she went and confessed, and that time before...but she always forgave you. And after she confessed, Tohru was so uncomfortable around me that she could barely speak! It's been like that with practically everyone in my entire life!

"You know what sucks about being perfect, Mr. Hypocrite? Well...it's all a front. You don't have a clue, okay? Sorry to ruin your view of everything, Kyo, but all this crap you spout about me being a traitor? _It's a myth. A myth, and you'd never even met me before, and you already hated me_! My name is Yuki Sohma, not the Rat Zodiac! Get over it! You want to be in the whole "club"? Ever thought that we all want out? And I know this won't make a single difference in that one-track mind of yours, but you're always whining about how hypocritical the zodiac is to you! You know what? _Everyone hates the rat_. When I was younger, and we met for the first time, I thought, no, _hoped_ that you might be able to become my one friend because you knew how I felt. Yet you seemed determined to hate me for the exact same _stupid_ reason as everyone else. Ha! How foolish I was, to think that you'd understand _me_? Let's see...what's the score? You whine about everyone being prejudiced about the cat, and because of that, you. I had to cure four relationships with my own cousins, just because of the same stupid myth! I hadn't even done anything, but they still hated me! And then you immediately assumed that I was the cause of your misfortune in life, and..."

Kyo couldn't move. The rat was trying to bore his death glare through Kyo's skull, and was succeeding. All the other Sohmas had been silenced with when Kyo had begun his retaliation, but now the entire family, even Tohru, had migrated across the atrium to where Yuki and Kyo were. Everyone kept giving each other startled glances, trading back and forth the same thoughts.

_-Did we really hate Yuki so long ago? Had we been blaming him and the rat for everything?_

_-Hypocrite? What does he mean?_

_-My little brother's been keeping this inside of him all of this time? Is this what he's really like?_

_-I'm scared..._

_-I don't understand why Yuki's so pissed, but I can see his point. I was like that too._

_-I want to cry and tell them to stop, but I would be going so deep into an unseen wound that I might not get back out._

_-Is it okay to let them do this? Here, of all places?_

_-Is this what the isolation did to him? Is this what is going to happen to me if I'm not careful? What would Kisa think?_

Kisa clung to Tohru, both of their faces lit with fear. Ayame was next to Hatori, their faces ironically similar for two people so different. Struggling to contain his anger, Yuki wound his point down to one more line.

"...And since then you've been doing exactly what you despise so much. I've moved on; everyone has...can you? Again: Hypocrite."

Yuki let go of Kyo's shirt, which, in his fury, he had gathered into his fists and used to keep Kyo close to his face, and walked away. He stopped, picked up some of his family's luggage, and started towards the exit, leaving shocked people behind. For a moment, Kyo couldn't move. _So that's what it's like..._An irregular spattering of footsteps made Kyo snap out of his state, and he looked up just in time to see Tohru running after Yuki, her hands against her chest and her face contorted, but not unattractively, by worry. _So that's what it's like...to be loved...you can just say things like that..._Pulling himself out of his position against the wall, Kyo picked up some more of the baggage and followed after Yuki and Tohru. Every Sohma's head followed his figure as he morphed into a run, flying to catch up. By the time everyone else had struggled outside, Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru had flagged three taxis.

"Okay, let's put Haru, Kisa, Hiro, and Kyo in the first one...and 'Tori, Aya, Momiji, and I in the second...and that leaves Tohru and Yuki in the third. Does that work?"

Kisa was shaking her head, and her hands tightened on Tohru's coat-sleeve.

"I want to go with Onee-chan! Can't I go with her? Please?"

Haru was the first to answer. "Um...not really, Kisa...we should leave them alone..." As his words sank in the space around the Sohmas, three things happened all at once.

"Haru, please come back from Shigure School and stop saying things like that."

"But you do want to be left alone, my love?"

"That too. Quit that too, please."

--

"Pleeeeeeeeeeease?"

"Momiji wants to go with Tohru too!"

"Momiji, _no_!"

"But I really want to go with Onee-chan!"

"Wherever Kisa goes, I go."

"Oh? And why is that, Hiro?"

"Um..."

"Hiro-chan? Why are you blushing?"

--

"Don't ask me stupid questions like that! Why would I care about Hikari-san? Who is that?"

"I don't know, Hatori, but whenever you hear her name you just seem to soften or something..."

"Seriously...Ayame, who is Hikari-san?"

"As the Americans would say it, 'Tori, Oy vey..."

"Indeed Aya...major oy vey..."

"You two are idiots...I'm going with Yuki and Tohru-kun..."

"SHUT UP!"

Everyone quit babbling, or in Momiji's case, struggling against Haru, and looked at Kyo. The cat ran his finger through his bangs like he did when he was annoyed and spat, "Okay. Here's the deal. Kisa, Yuki, Tohru, Hiro, and Hatori in one. Momiji, Haru, Ayame, and Shigure in two. Third one I get for myself and my headache."

Everyone was silent: the one time Kyo gave out orders like that, and everyone was too shocked to move. But Tohru went first, picking up some of the junk piled by the taxis, and tried to throw it into the trunk, promptly missing and spilling the contents of the bag across the closed trunk of the car. Predictably, she turned pink and went to clean the stuff up, which consisted of candy and magazines. Then Yuki joined her with a sigh, catching the last missing pieces up in his fingers and slipping them back into the bag. Then the two opened the trunk, stuck the luggage into it, and slid into the taxi, where they were joined by Kisa, and then Hiro. All of this carried out in uncharacteristic silence. Finally, Hatori was suddenly in the taxi leaning forward to give the address to the driver, and then turning towards Tohru with a look of relief in his eyes.

"Tohru-kun, what would you like for Christmas?"

"N-Nothing really! I mean, you sent my here and we don't even celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday anyway, and-"

"Think of it as an early New Year's present...and that holiday's important, isn't it?"

"You really w-want to know?"

"Of course he does Tohru...why else would Hatori ask?"

Tohru glanced nervously at Yuki once, as if asking for permission, and then mumbled something that was completely inaudible. She stared down at her hands, flushed and her thoughts winding in their usual circles. _I can't burden them more...is Kyo alright...oh no! I think I left the...no, I didn't...Kyo made sure of that...and Yuki too...but I really want a piano...they're so black...and shiny!...but I can buy it when I've saved up enough...but that's college money, Tohru...no! I can't ask them for a piano, that's way too much! _And then one side won, and she repeated her words more loudly.

"I...I-want-a-piano!"

Yuki was hit by the wave of endless hours he'd spent, back rigid and fingers splayed across keys, trying to please his mother...How could anyone like the piano? He'd hated every second, especially his teacher.

"A what?"

Even Hatori wasn't ready fort an answer like that. _She truly is unpredictable_...Kisa tugged on Tohru's sleeve and asked, ignoring Tohru's pink face, "Onee-chan? Why do you want a piano?" Hiro caught Kisa's attention and said convincingly, "Kisa, I think Ba-chan said oregano."

"A spice?"

Yuki finally managed to choke out a question. "Why?" Tohru glanced at him worriedly before venturing, 'They're so black...and shiny! I mean, I've always wanted to learn how to play one..." She was embarrassed to still cling onto one of her childhood fantasies, and even more embarrassed to even think of talking about something that cost so much money. _It really is just a silly impulse...still..._All of a sudden, three hands touched Tohru's, and she looked up at two pairs of eyes staring in earnest back at her.

Both Kisa and Hiro opened their mouths and blurted out in unison, "How do you play a spice?" Tohru was so surprised she answered shakily, "U-Um, you press down on a key and it m-makes a sound..."

"Wow! Hiro-chan...did you hear that?"

"Yeah, I did, but still...oregano?"

Before the miscommunication could blossom into an issue, Kisa and Hiro were silenced with a settling look from Hatori, who said in a flat tone only rivaled by Hana-chan's, "Yuki, didn't you used to play?"

It was the exact thing Yuki had been telling Hatori desperately with his eyes _not_ to say. Trying to ignore the tick of annoyance burrowing itself deep into his mind, Yuki turned to Tohru and smiled like he always did just before he abused himself. Like he was joking, or thinking that what he was saying was lighter to the beholder if he appeared happy. Tohru's face lit up and she squeaked, "You can play the piano? I want to hear you!"

"But...I haven't played for a long time..."

_Try six years._

"...and I wasn't very good in the first place..."

"Nonsense Yuki. You won the National Japanese Musicians' Recital when you were ten."

**Author: (I made that contest up...)**

_Hatori...are you trying to hurt me?_

"You won a contest? You must be good!"

"Um..."

But Yuki couldn't stand down to Kisa's and Tohru's hopeful faces. Finally, he stammered, "F-Fine...Hatori, do you know a p-piano store?"

Hatori closed his eyes and mimed opening a map before saying, "There's one at 39 East 7th Street...Underwater Piano Shop? Why?"

Yuki rolled his eyes at the dragon, whose eyes were still closed and a map from his memory laid out in front of him. The stress from everyone at once was cracking through his damaged outer armor. In some ways, Yuki was dying to get out. But in others, he was hoping that if nothing happened, he could heal slowly and entirely.

"Hatori, did you pack a piano by chance?"

"I don't believe I did, Yuki..."

"My point precisely. Tohru, Kisa...I'll show you later."

Tohru's face dimmed and she turned further towards Yuki, exclaiming persistently, "Do you remember any songs? I mean, because if you don't it's okay...but, I just really want to hear you play because I'm sure you'd be good!"

Once again, Yuki couldn't properly answer verbally, but his face was enough to convey the message. Minorly irritated, mostly overwhelmed, but entirely flushed, Yuki fervently tried to steer the subject away from himself. But Tohru didn't drop the subject.

"Who taught you?"

"Um...nobody in particular, mother taught me to read the music and the scale...and Akito made me practice when he was bored...Kisa, what do you want to do first?"

"I want to see whatever Onee-chan wants to see!"

"Okay...Tohru, what do you want to see that we haven't seen?"

"You playing the piano!"

"...Hiro...what do you want to see?"

"Whatever Kisa-chan wants to see..."

In the very back of Yuki's head, some part of him was pleased, but the rest of his mind was saying over and over again,_ They're all against me. They're all against me. They're all against me._ But luckily for him, the taxi pulled up to the Michelangelo, where they were promptly dumped by the taxi driver and ushered inside, where they were met by the shattering of a glass and the cry of an extremely surprised person. Hikari shot a glance at the glass of apple juice she'd crushed in her hand, and then back at the five people staring at her with wide eyes.

"T-T-T-Tori-kun!"

Hatori's eyebrows shot up and he repeated disbelievingly, "_Tori-kun_? No one's called me that to my face since the eleventh grade." The women dropped the glass and her eyes widened even more before she said in a higher-pitched voice, softer and more quiet than before, "You don't remember this?" That left Hatori speechless. That sounded like...but it _couldn't _be...

"Hikari-san?"

"You do remember!"

"Er..."

With that graceless note, Hatori turned back out to the streets and stood in the snow, waiting for Ayame and Shigure to arrive. The ram, tiger, rat, and the brunette looking after him, each with a different degree of "Huh?" written across their faces. When the two finally did arrive, the audience, which had grown with the addition of the ox, rabbit, and cat, caught one glance of Hatori's face before he grabbed the two by their ears and dragged them off. Haru, trying to figure out whether to laugh or gawk, stated, "That's new. My love, what did you do to Hatori?" Yuki just shook his head and muttered darkly before striding up to the desk, disregarding the awe on the clerk's face.

_I cannot begin to explain this to myself. I've never seen Hatori speechless before like that._

--

In an alley not far from the Michelangelo, two perverts were being violently punished by an angry man with bangs over his right eye...

**So? Less depressing? I hope so! That's all! Merry Christmas/Happy Hanukkah/Happy Kwanza/Happy Non-Denominational Winter Holiday/Feliz Navidad/Joyeux Noel/Frohe Weihnachten/Merikurisumasu! (Eat loads of sugar and remember that this only happens once every year...so get off the computer and go do crap with people you share oxygen with!)**


	12. Chapter 12

**Whatever. School slower updates. Another story slower updates. Sudden loss of furor in writing (writer's block on this plot) MUCH slower updates. Sorry. Maybe four chapters left in my head.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Furuba. Now, let's get this party started.**

Chapter 12: No Title. Ever.

Tohru still couldn't believe that she was in America. And that Yuki could play the piano. In fact, the entire thing seemed to be rather unrealistic. But whenever she hugged Kisa, it was real enough. She smiled happily to herself and turned back to face the other people in the taxi with her: Kisa, Yuki-kun, Hiro, and begrudgingly, Kyo-kun. The cat had been uncharacteristically silent for the last six days, and refused to leave the brunette's side. Yuki hadn't raised an argument over the matter, but Tohru could tell it was concerning him. Whenever he was near her, he always made sure he had some sort of contact, either physical or social, as if to be sure she wouldn't slip away. Kisa smiled back at Tohru, hand sliding into Hiro's, who flushed at the gesture but didn't try to change it. Kyo-kun just rolled his eyes in his usual "I can't believe she's that space-y" look. Yuki-kun, however, was bent over a packet of papers, his fingers tapping on it in flourishes of sound. He was practicing from memory, using the papers as a range of keys. But he could feel the warmth of Tohru's smile on his shoulders, and he looked up quickly, assuring her with a shy smile. And then he returned to the music he both loved and detested. Kisa bounced up and down on her seat, not noticing Hiro's eyes following the wave of her hair, and exclaimed, "Mr. Taxi-man, are we there yet?" Of course, the taxi driver wasn't Japanese, and just glared back at the girl before pulling up to an old building and announcing, "_Underwater Piano Shop. Who's paying?_"

"_Me, I think_."

Yuki got out and fluidly paid the driver as the rest of the Sohmas and Tohru filed out to the street and slush. And then, with a feeling of dread, Yuki turned to face the piano store. It looked normal enough: a grand in the wide front window, the usual. So he hesitantly opened the door and entered the store. He studied the pianos in the showroom before signaling an assistant, who appeared out of nowhere. The sleekly dressed young man asked in a faintly British accent, "_May I help you, sir_?" But before Yuki could even begin to analyze the sounds coming out of the man's mouth into Japanese before Kyo replied unevenly, "_Erm...a piano, please?_" The assistant turned from the clean-looking boy to the dangerously unruly-looking one. He said cooly, "_Sir, we happen to have a wide selection of pianos. In fact, all we sell are pianos and such. I assume you'd want a piano or you wouldn't be here._" Kyo opened and closed his mouth angrily. Once again, some random asshole had tagged him as the bad one. Not that he understood what the assistant was saying, but he could read facial expressions pretty well. Yuki interjected quickly, "_Do you have a Steinway Model D?_" Sniffing, the assistant turned back to the silver-haired boy and nodded before sweeping over to a grand piano in the middle of the showroom.

Tohru felt a thrill go down her back as they joined Yuki-kun at the piano. For one moment a look of resentment crossed over the rat's face, reacting to the white and black keys in front of him. Sitting down stiffly and closing his eyes, he looked perfectly calm. But in his head he was screaming. _Why am I here? Why am I doing this? Because Tohru asked. Calm down. It's just one song. Then you never have to go near a piano again. _Yuki reached out and rested his hands on the keys, light enough that he made no sound. As his hands rose to begin the piece, he looked at everyone present, all of whom were fixated on him. _Oh no. I'm going to make an idiot of myself. Stop. Stop! STOP! _But his hands hit the keys anyway.

He began the music, not listening, not hearing, just playing. Looking at the assistant, he brought up the volume and began to bring out the thirty-second notes in the higher octave. It was the most simple piece Yuki had ever learned, but in some ways he liked it. It reminded him of what it was like just after he had found his first friends. Somehow, he could hear the heartbeat in the lower rhythms, and the feelings that lifted it in the upper melody. It made him want to fly. But every time the thought came to mind, his common sense repressed it.

**Author: If you happen to be wondering what he's playing, go to **** and click on "FREEDOM" to hear it.**

Yuki flowed into the middle section, teasing out the arpeggios and lowering the volume. Almost afraid, he turned his head and observed the group of people watching him. The rat noticed Tohru and Kisa together in the very front, Kisa frozen with awe, and Tohru's eyes closed, head moving slightly to the rhythm of the lower chords. Kyo was skulking around in the back, trying to look unimpressed and failing miserably. Hiro was behind Kisa, ambiguous and probably no longer caring. And then, by habit, his eyes returned to Tohru, who was smiling blissfully, eyes now open. She seemed to be enjoying herself. At least there was someone here who was. Without him really noticing, Yuki wove back into the main melodies.

Sighing slightly, he tried to focus on something else other than the audience. Unfortunately, it was becoming increasingly impossible because all the rest of the staff of the store had gathered around him, muttering. Nervous, Yuki completed the last chord and glanced around him. About fifteen extra pairs of eyes stared back. The stupid cat spoke first.

"Pretty Boy...you can do that?"

"W-What?"

"Play like that. On the piano."

"Yes, I guess..."

The staff and other costumers in store had broken into earnest applause, making the rat turn pink. And then he was attacked by a swarm of people, making his claustrophobia jump around somewhere in his lungs. They were all asking him rapid questions in several languages, each hoping they got the right one.

"_What is your name? How long have you been-"_

_" _D'où êtes-vous? Combien d'années vous ont-"

"Spielen Sie das gefallen wieder? Ist er möglich zu erhalten-"

"Yuki-kun! You really _are _good!"

The teen turned towards the familiar language and came face to face with Tohru, who was about to hug him in excitement, but managed to catch herself just before she made contact. She stumbled backwards, suddenly buffered by the wall of people, and continued, face flushed from her clumsiness, "Was that really you playing, Yuki-kun? I mean, I was so good! Now I know why you won that competition when you were so young! What was the name of that song?"

Someone tugged on Yuki's arm as Tohru rambled. He glanced down in a dazed way and Kisa squealed, "Yuki! That was really great! Why haven't you ever shown me before?"

The silver-haired boy didn't answer, just smiled slightly and returned his attention to Tohru, who was still continuing on about his playing. Trying very hard not to simultaneously jump out of his skin and run away from the crushing ring of people, he said quietly, in the best English he could muster, "_Thank you for allowing me to use the piano, sir._"

And he almost flew out of the store, halfway across the street before anyone even noticed he was gone. Flattening himself to a wall, he gasped for cold air, trying to settle his claustrophobia and embarrassment. _You're okay. You're okay. No one hugged you; you didn't use the wrong English; you filled your promise to Tohru and Kisa; you didn't break down in front of everyone because of the pianos. You're okay. You're okay. You're okay. _So he was quite surprised to blink out of his thoughts and discover that two guys wearing dark clothes had stopped in front of him and were talking to him. Something wrong with the way they were looking at him. One repeated, "_Hey girl, you look like you need help. Want our help? We can help in all sorts of ways..._"

The other teen cracked a grin, and added in a comment he thought was clever, "_You know, with choosing what to wear to the club we're going to take you to tonight._" Yuki only understood about half of what they were saying, but their body language and the half of the words he picked up were enough. _Are they...hitting on me? Wait..."girl"? I'M A GIRL? _

The one with fake-looking black hair and red streaks had drawn even closer, settling on the wall next to the rat, casually leaning against his elbow on the brick. He was saying more things, but Yuki didn't want to understand them. _Crap. Why haven't I gotten my hair cut yet? I swear, as soon as we get back to the hotel, I am cutting it off myself! _Suddenly fingers gripped his arm, and Yuki jumped. He glared down at the hand wrapped around his forearm, and spat, "_No thank you._"

In the corner of his eye, something silvery in the light caught his attention. _Double_ _Crap. This isn't going to end well. _The other boy, the one with three studs in each of his ears and similar, fake dark hair, had a knife. Or worse. Black-and-red smirked.

"_We're not asking, girl. We're stating fact._"

Yuki shook his head firmly. He said in a tone of voice he reserved for that stupid cat and other people who made him want to punch something until his wrist shattered from impact, "_I would suggest otherwise. Leave me alone and you won't die._" Instead of taking the quite possible threat as reality, the two teens rolled their eyes at each other and came even closer, Black-and-red's grip tightening a degree. Earrings-and-black was just about to grab Yuki's other arm when he was met by a fist, which sent him stumbling back into the wall, barely missing a trash can. He shook it off pretty quickly, but only to be sent backwards again by a foot to the chest. He hit the wall harder, and scrambled away, all intentions forgotten. Yuki turned his face to glare at Black-and-red, who still had a grip on his other arm. The rat said calmly, but with a chilling edge to his voice, "_How many bones do you want broken? I think I could manage all of them..._ "

The teen was frozen with fear. Yuki disengaged Black-and-red's hand from his arm and turned to go back towards the corner, were he could see Tohru and everyone else approaching. But before he went to meet them, he added, just to see what Black-and-red would think, "_By the way, I am a boy._" As he walked away, Yuki could hear the teen's jaw hit the ground. _And you deserved it..._

"Yuki-kun! Where did you go? There were so many people asking about you, and then you were gone."

"I'm sorry. Let's go back to the hotel; I need to cut my hair."

"But..."

Tohru looked disappointed, and Yuki remembered, "Oh, right. You wanted to see the Macy's. Are you sure you don't want to wait for Nii-san to go with us?" Tohru shook her head slightly and replied, "I don't want Ayame-san to go with me. I'd end up buying something." Kisa's brow furrowed slightly in confusion, and she asked, "You aren't going to buy anything, Onee-chan?" Tohru shook her head vigorously, and said, "Can we go, please?" Kyo had a somewhat repulsed look on his face. He _hated _shopping. But he wanted to stay around Tohru. _Hell with Tohru...no Hell without Tohru...damn rat..._ The cat covered speedily, "I'm going back, though. It looks like it's going to rain, and-"

"We know, Kyo-kun. Tell Hatori-san where Yuki, Hiro-kun, Kisa-chan, and I went, okay?"

"Sure, Tohru,"

------

Yuki pretended like his hands were extremely fascinating. They were so different from the paws of a rat, yet he was used to both types. Why didn't he ever notice a difference? He was struggling not to look up, for fear of either being mistaken for a girl who needed to be helped or being mistaken as trying to catch the eye of any of the fourteen teenage girls all hovering within a twenty foot area of where he was sitting, all hoping for exactly that. In truth, he just was waiting for Tohru to come back out. She and Kisa had gone into the dressing rooms almost half an hour ago, and Hiro was already complaining. Yuki didn't know how much more of this he could take in one day. He repeated for the fifteenth time, "Hiro, have patience. They should be out soon." And almost like he'd called their names, Tohru and Kisa's voices sang, "What do you think?"

Yuki looked up, prepared for some sort of ball-gown or wedding dress, but instead was met by something he'd never seen before. Tohru in dark-wash skinny jeans and a long short-sleeved striped polo shirt. Hiro was thrown something mush worse: Kisa was wearing leggings and a white bubble skirt. They looked...American. American except for the fact that they were speaking Japanese and the boys with them were both very Asian-looking. Yuki didn't even get a word out before Tohru turned red and disappeared again, only to return in her normal clothing. She muttered something about prices and sat herself down next to Yuki, unaware of the fourteen death glares she was receiving from the fore-mentioned surrounding teenage girls. Yuki finally managed, "You looked cute."

Tohru blushed even darker, staring down at her lap. But she replied, "It didn't look like me. It was too...pretty. To be me, I mean."

Yuki quickly noted the embarrassed way Hiro was trying not to follow the hemline of Kisa's skirt, deciding it was about time Hiro had a talk with Hatori. Then he replied, "You're wrong. You are _always _pretty. But how long has it been since you bought new clothes?" Tohru thought about it for a bit, ignoring how he had called her pretty and answered, "Three years, I think."

"That's too long, Tohru. You need new clothes."

"But I can get them when we get home."

"Whatever makes you happy, Tohru."

The taxi ride back to the hotel was silence. Stagnant, familiar silence. Kisa had bought the leggings and bubble skirt, and Tohru had left the store empty-handed, against both Kisa's and Yuki's suggestions. When they entered the lobby, they were met by Haru, who said dryly, "Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori are in Hatori's room, along with someone named Hika-chan or whatever Shigure called her. Do you want to go swimming?" Kisa and Tohru's faces lit up, so, once again, Yuki gave in.

"I guess so."

"Great. Since I had a feeling going up to the same floor as those four would be somewhat health-threatening, I have your and Tohru's swimsuits in Momiji's and my room."

"Thank you. But did you go rifling through our clothes, Haru?"

"No comment."

"Haru..."

"No comment."

"Haru..."

"No comment!"

The rat restrained himself from rolling his eyes at the seemingly innocent ox and stated, "I'm going to change now." Then Yuki bowed himself from the group, and headed for the elevator. But before he could escape, Tohru followed him with a worried look on her face. Yuki flushed slightly at her perseverance to be in his presence, but just held the elevator door for her, words either unnecessary or unspoken. With a soft shushing noise, the doors of the elevator closed, and Tohru said in an unusually subdued way, "I-It's not his fault..."

Why was the silence back? Yuki thought he'd conquered it when...

"...And it's not your fault either. You two just...hit and missed..."

It seemed so long ago that he'd told her that he loved her. But it had only been a couple of days, barely a week.

"...And all I want is for the two of you two be h-happy, and I'm just not sure anymore..."

She was tearing up: obviously she'd been holding it back ever since the Airport Incident.

"...Is it so bad that I love two people?"

The elevator was speeding up, lights indicating the change of floors. Yuki couldn't breathe. He didn't want too, if Tohru was saying what he thought she was saying. He opened his mouth, and said the only words that occurred to him, even if it nearly broke his heart to say them.

"...The question is how do you love them, not whether or not it's bad. Love isn't controllable; you can't change that."

She looked up at him, eyes so distraught yet so innocent, and cried, "I love Yuki-kun! But Kyo-kun still means so much, and sometimes...I can't help but feel like I need to be shared or something! But I can tell, whenever I'm around Kyo-kun, you're dying inside. Closing back up, like when I go away, you just...hide." Yuki was having to hold her up now: Tohru was in antics, just letting it go. She shook her head fiercely, tears following the movements of her head, and repeated stubbornly, "But I love Yuki-kun! It doesn't make sense, but I just know...Kyo-kun will find someone someday." The boy could feel his throat opening back up, releasing it's grip on his heart. Yuki turned to Tohru, and replied simply, "I love you. And as long as you know that somewhere you love me, no matter in what genre it is, I'll be content. I don't need anything more." An he leaned down and kissed her, hand tilting her face up to his. She seemed surprised for a moment, but relaxed as it continued.

The elevator dinged for their level.

Neither noticed for another minute.

The pool was wonderful to be in while watching more snow drift down on the courtyard outside, but even better to be in when Shigure, Hatori, and Ayame finally arrived and in orderly fashion all rejected swimming in order to talk to Nanomo-san. Yuki watched them wearily, careful to analyze every movement any of the subjects of his scrutiny made. But a wave of water from Tohru's general direction halted his observations, and he returned to the water fight Kisa had begun with Hiro.

_I'll cross that bridge when I come to it...or when it hits me in the face with a rather pointy stick..._

**Okay. As I said, these updates will be much slower, especially since I keep getting less reviews (I'm not asking for them, but I feel like I'm handing out paintings without being paid for them sometimes...sorry for sounding like I'm asking for them, I just feel that way). Chapter 13 will bring on the beginning of the downfall of Akito (sort of the downfall...). They're finally leaving New York...I'm relieved. Oh. The piece you should hear for Yuki's piano piece is Freedom by Stanton Lanier...you can hear some of it on iTunes Store or go to to listen to the entire thing and download for free.** **I think it sounds like Yuki, but I also think And So It Goes by billy Joel and Straight Lines by Silverschair are also like Yuki. I'm ranting. BUT LISTEN TO THE MUSIC!!!!!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Now is the time! The downfall of Akito!**

**Akito fans, I'll try to make this painless...not...**

**Any issues you can take it up with my evil side.**

**It wouldn't be pretty.**

**About Akito's bit in the beginning: The reason why there are conflicting pronouns is because although Akito is biologically a girl, she has been raised as a boy, and therefore thinks of herself as one. So all possessive pronouns and when she's thinking of herself are masculine, while normal declarative pronouns are feminine. IT IS NOT A TYPO!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, because if I did, my name would be Natsuki Takaya and Yuki would have ended up with Tohru, GODAMMIT!!!**

Chapter 13: Gasp! An Actual Title! No...Wait...

"Hatori?"

"Shigure?"

"Anyone?"

Akito carefully picked his way along the silent halls, trying to remember what was going on. Oh. Right. Everyone was in New York, and they would be returning later that day. _I cannot take this any longer. _She bit down on his own arm angrily, unable to break the skin, but she managed to distract his anger and loneliness with the pain. She felt like they had abandoned him, all alone in this house built to serve to his every need. And to imprison him. She could begin to truly feel the pain now, seeping in under his sadness and notifying his brain he was hurt. _They left me to die...left me to die alone...disrespecting asses..._His teeth broke through the skin, adding the taste of his own blood to the pain now beginning to take over his thoughts. _Well...come quickly enough, Death, because I want it to be over. I want...to feel..._Finally, the self-preservation instincts broke in, and the head of the Sohma family released his arm, calmly inspecting the blood welling out from the teeth marks. _I want to feel...free. _

_Free..._

--

The pedestrians stared. They'd seen some of them on their way home from the local schools, and one or two of the older ones ambling about in the streets, but regardless...Together, the entire effect of the Sohmas was phenomenal. Of course, the sight was ruined by the fact that the adults were more childish than the teenagers. Exempting Hatori, Shigure and Ayame were still displaying behavior similar to five-year-olds just home from an amusement park. Kyo closed his eyes blearily, cursing rain for the up-teenth time before glancing back at Tohru and Yuki. They looked so happy. Which reminded him of..._Crap. What am I going to do about that? I don't love her at ALL, but what could I say? She attacked me! _He shut down the last day before winter break, and forced himself to look somewhere else. Anywhere else. _Minami...uh...Do I even know the rest of her name? Bloody hell..._He swung his back in front of him and began searching for the keys to Shigure's house, feet carrying him automatically home. He didn't want to say good-bye to everyone else: they'd been looking at him strangely ever since Yuki imploded. So it was Kyo who unlocked the front door of the house. And it was Kyo who discovered what awaited the rest of the residents.

His mouth opened in shock.

His bag slid off of his shoulder.

His hand released the keys, which cheerfully jangled as they hit the floor.

And it was Kyo who yelled out to anyone who could hear:

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THIS!? SOMEONE, GET THEIR ASS IN HERE!"

There was a sound of quickened footsteps, and Yuki skidded to a stop in the hallway, ignoring the fact he had just entered with his shoes on. There was dreadful silence as the teenage boys gaped at the rooms spread before them. And then they glanced at each other with a mix of fear and anger. Yuki muttered softly, "Oh crap..." Before Tohru popped into view behind him, along with Shigure. Neither removed their shoes. For a moment, the four just stood in the hallway before Yuki sank to the ground and dropped his face into his hands.

"Seriously, Akito..."

"Wh-What is this, Yuki-kun?"

"It's Akito. Akito when he's very, _very_ angry."

Every wall, every floor, every piece of furniture was marred with black streaks of paint. It took Tohru a few seconds to discern the handwriting, but after reading a single wall, she didn't want to read anymore. _YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE ME BEHIND...UNFAITHFUL...INFERIOR CAT...TREACHEROUS RAT...AND YOUR PRECIOUS LITTLE GIRL WILL NEVER FORGET ABOUT ME...I'LL BE SURE OF THAT..._ Even though he probably had the least common sense, every teen's head turned back to Shigure, who had turned pale. Wordlessly, Shigure turned to leave again, breaking into an impressive sprint for someone who barely moved in an entire day. He returned in a few ugly minutes with Hatori, who just hardened at the messages. No one knew how long they grouped together at the threshold, Yuki and Tohru on the floor, Kyo behind them, backed by Shigure and Hatori. But finally, Tohru managed to strangle out, "We-We should start cleaning it up..."

"We can't,"

"Why? Yuki-kun? Shigure-san?"

"Tohru, my flower, this isn't ordinary black paint. Akito doesn't just paint things black. He wants to be sure that his words are final, permanent."

"What do you mean?"

"Tohru, he mixes black paint with his own blood. It stains better."

"Oh my...God..."

She wouldn't break down into tears; she was beyond that. Instead, Tohru clung to Yuki's shirt-sleeve, the life in her eyes extinguished. Kyo watched her bitterly. She was afraid, he knew she was, and Yuki still hadn't emerged from his hands. But just before the cat was going to comfort Tohru himself, the silver-haired boy wrapped one of his arms around her waist and brought the brunette closer to his shoulder. Even though his eyes were still hidden by his still uncut hair, Tohru knew what he was seeing. Everyone knew what he was seeing. He took in a shattered breath, and stated in a shaky voice, "This has to stop. He can't do this anymore. He just...can't." The cat brought himself to the ground so that Tohru was between the cousins, and nodded his head silently. Behind the three teenagers, a silent message passed between Hatori and Shigure. It was time. Hatori slipped away, and Shigure said in an oddly normal sing-song voice, "Tohru! Could you call your friends and have them come over, please?"

"U-Um, sure...but-"

"Please?"

The brown-eyed girl stood up and awkwardly journeyed across the wrecked room to the telephone, where she dialed and began speaking in muted tones. Yuki glanced through his bangs up at the cat next to him. He seemed to be holding up well. Noticing the silver-haired teen's eyes on his face, Kyo glanced back. Neither said anything, one with one of knees gathered protectively to his chest, his eyes hidden by his bangs, and the other spread out, hands thrown back and legs crossed. Between them, the thinning walls of Yuki's abyss and Kyo's fortress. But no matter how much hey wanted to say something to each other, the cousins were at a loss for words. They already knew what each other were thinking. Tohru finally sat down between them, dissipating the walls and said softly, "Uo-chan and Hana-chan will be here soon. And Uo-chan said she's bringing Samuel-kun..."

"What? Yank's finally got herself a guy?"

"No, not quite..."

Behind them, Hatori reappeared, this time followed by Hatsuharu and Hiro. No one spoke as the three zodiac removed their shoes and stepped into the house, totally expressionless in demeanor, but the same fear and rage burning from their eyes. Behind them, Uo and Hana entered, Uo in her gang coat and Hana in her black cloak. Both refused to take their coats off. Haru finally concluded hat the horrified silence had stretched on for long enough, and motioned with his head for everyone to gather around the table. Once everyone was settled, he stood up, and tugged folded and wrinkled papers from his pocket. He unfolded them and began.

"Akito is everything. And Nothing. There are some outsiders here today, so I can't exactly go into details...But I know we all know what happened to us because of him. What happened to Yuki. What happened to Isuzu...and by her, me. What happened to Kana-san and Hatori. What happened to Kisa and Hiro. What happened to Ren. And I'm so tired of it.

"I'm so tired of seeing Akito toy with us like we're his to control. I'm so tired of hearing him say such things to everyone. Especially to Yuki. I'm so tired of looking away whenever he raises a hand when Hiro says something independent. I'm so tired of knowing that that hand would never hurt Hiro. I'm so tired of standing in the corner and listening to him bitch about how much we suck. I'm so tired of feeling that every time a new window opens, he snaps it shut in my face. I'm so tired of thinking Akito actually has the right to do this to us. I'm just so tired of it all..."

Haru trailed off, leaving behind a highly emotional silence as he paused, waiting to begin the next section of his speech. Uo and Hana shared a startled glance, shook by the sudden intensity this strange person had taken on. _My God, what the hell have we gotten ourselves into? No...What the hell has Tohru gotten herself into? _Uo looked past Hana at her Tohru and Prince Charming. He was shivering, his head buried into her shoulder. She was stroking his hair softly, evenly. Uo looked away, ashamed and embarrassed to have seen something so personal in Prince Charming's life. _I'd always thought he was feeling-less, the way he was always only halfway there when other people were around him. I was worried when Tohru moved in when them two years ago...in fact, I was furious that somehow she understood him. Someone who so snobbishly rejected other people didn't deserve her...But now...God, what did this bastard Akito do to him to make him like this? Princes are supposed to be unbreakable. They're supposed to show up in shining armor and take you away. This isn't a prince: he looks like...a scared child. Is this what is under all of that armor?_

Hana followed Uo's gaze and perplexed thoughts, eyes observing cynically what she saw. They looked more like a mother and her child. Perhaps more like a mother and her child than a girl and her...boyfriend. If that is what you call this relationship they had.

Haru began speaking again. It was obvious that he, like Yuki, was a great orator. But what was even more fascinating about these people that surrounded Hana was their waves. They were so similar, but the sub-lengths were so diversified from each cousin, Hana didn't know if she could truly call them similar. Yes, the waves were generally good, but so damaged and frequently dark...And then Hastuharu Sohma, with his two entirely separate wavelengths, both with the same sub-lengths but vastly different overtones. And the fact he only used one at a time, while the other lay pulsing gently underneath...He was an anomaly among anomalies. Only made more intriguing by his strange loss of direction. Hana shook her head, trying to make the waves go away so she could listen instead of hearing.

"I think Akito sees us as people who owe him greatly for living. And he likes to keep control over us, keep us in his presence so he knows we won't forget about him. He is obsessed with permanence, leaving his scars all over the isolated world he has power over. He keeps us on chains, yanking us back with choke-collars --nothing meant, Shigure--, and likes to feel he can restrain us forever. But I'm telling you, it has to stop. Is there anyone present who disagrees?"

Everyone glanced around at each other, waiting for someone to put their hand in the air. No one did, so Hatori took the floor and pulled out a large roll of white paper from his briefcase. He uncapped a fat, black marker, and said humorlessly, "Shall we begin?"

Almost immediately, Kyo and Uo got into an argument over groups. Kyo wanted to be in the declaration group along with Tohru, Hatori, and Yuki, but Uo flat-out refused for him to go to see Akito. Finally, Uo drew out her familiar iron pipe and snarled, "You wanna talk to me or to Samuel-kun?"

"Who the hell is Samuel-kun?!"

"Look down, asshole!"

Kyo glared down at the pipe being jabbed into his chest and pushed it away.

"You actually named that thing?!"

"That's it! I've had it with you and your stupid freakin' obsession with being right! I give up!"

"Give up on what, Uo?"

The blonde-haired eighteen-year-old froze suddenly, middle finger stopped in front of Kyo's face. She turned pink uncharacteristically, and jabbed Kyo again with the pipe so he wouldn't notice. _Hana, DAMN YOU!_

_I heard that, Uo._

_HOLY SHIT! WILL YOU GET OUT OF MY FREAKIN' THOUGHTS ALREADY!?_

Hana smirked secretly and pulled out of Uo's waves, pleased with the damage she'd done. The black-haired girl turned her attention calmly back to Hatori, who was writing down the groups and plan for the downfall of Akito. He had nice handwriting, and it was quite easy to read. She closed her eyes, trying to block the continued argument between Uo and Kyo, so she could focus on the obscure waves Tohru radiated. They were shaken and stressed, but otherwise, still Tohru.

"So Group A is Tohru, you, and myself."

"Correct,"

"And Group B is Kyo, Shigure, and Hanajima-san?"

"Correct,"

"And Group C is Haru, Uotoni-san, and Hiro?"

"Correct,"

Hatori laid the marker down and spread his hands over the marked up sheet of paper. Beside him, Haru stood up again, and announced, "We're finished. Meet back here at five tomorrow morning. Oh...and Hanajima? Uotoni? We need to show you something if you're going to do this with us." Haru reached out for the closest girl to him (Hana), but was blocked by Yuki, who suddenly flashed into existence between the two. He shot bloody murder at Hatsuharu, and hissed, "What. Are. You. Doing?"

"They'd find out eventually. Why not now, when we have time to explain it."

"At least ask first, pervert!"

"What?"

"Ask!"

"Fine! Hanajima! Do you mind if I hug you?"

Everyone looked at the stoic girl. She shrugged and shook her head. So Yuki withdrew, and with held breath, watched Haru slide over next to Hana and hug her. For one second, he remained as he was, but then, in a cloud of white smoke, he was replaced with a cow. Hana was even perturbed. She glanced at the cow now talking calmly next to her with complete lack of surprise, and then muttered, "So that was what it was..."

Uo's reaction was completely different. She drew her beloved pipe to her chest, and let go a stream of cuss-words. Somewhere among the profanity, she demanded, "Hana! Did you just turn him into a cow?!" She was answered by Kyo, with a disgusted look on his face, threw his arms around her, and poof-ed into an orange cat. There was stone silence as Uo shut up and stared wide-eyed at the cat now cussing right back at her. She stammered, "Wh-What the heck is going on with you people?"No one answered her, but in quick succession, Yuki, Hiro, Hatori, and finally Shigure all hugged Tohru, each turning into their respective animals. Tohru calmly excused herself for moment and returned with a cup of water, which she shook salt into and dropped the small sea-horse into. Uo dropped her pipe, and re-stated the question. The Rat/Yuki answered curtly, and explained as clearly as he could. He finally finished with, "Oh. And when we transform back, which should be fairly soon, we end up naked. So, if you'll excuse us..."

All of the Sohmas were either carried or walked into the other room, Tohru behind them with everyone's clothes and the glass containing Hatori. There were muffled voices and a collective shattering of explosions and a glass. And a scream.

"WHY DOES IT ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?!"

Tohru ran from the room, slamming the sliding door behind her, arm over her eyes. Hana and Uo looked at each other, eyebrows raised. She didn't just...? Duh. Ew. The two scooted so that Tohru was squished between them, and Uo asked, "So...that's what you've been fretting about?"

"Y-Yes,"

"Huh."

"Uo, I believe we should stay the night. I have no wish to try and come back here at five in the morning."

"I second that motion. Tohru, we're sleeping over. You okay with that?"

"I-I guess..."

"And Orangey, and Prince Charming, and Perverted Novelist?"

"They'll be fine with it."

Later that night, Uo, Hana, and Tohru were curled up in Tohru's bed together when someone gently shook Tohru awake. She awoke, eyes bleary in the darkness, and recognized the outline of a disheveled person. She groaned slightly, and sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes. The person held out his hand for hers, and she took it, following him out into the hall and up to the roof. Finally, in the moonlight, she recognized Yuki, totally disoriented, maybe not even fully awake. He sat down next to her and whispered, "Tohru?"

"Yes, Yuki?"

"Do you see the sun?"

The girl looked out at the dark purple sky for a moment, smiling softly at the stars.

"No,"

"Is it coming back?"

She turned to look at the teenager next to her, but all she could see was his profile against the dark sky, and the moon hitting his eyes, making the strange gray glow.

"Yes,"

"How can you tell when it's so dark?"

"Look over there,"

The brunette pointed out over the tree-line, where a tiny lining of light gray was beginning to reveal itself. She knew Yuki's eyes were following it, and he nodded his head slightly, already beginning to fall back to sleep. He murmured, his words beginning to be slurred, "I'm so relieved you're here. Then someone can tell me...that...the sun...will always...come...back..."

His head tipped forward, his chin hitting his chest softly as he fell asleep. The brunette next to him smiled, and turned her face back to the stars. Her hand reached for his, finally closing around it, making Yuki fall sideways. She sat on the roof quietly, his head in her lap, and his hand curled up with hers. Slowly, to be sure she didn't wake up Yuki, Tohru reached into her pajama pocket with her other hand and drew out Yuki's walkman and headphones. She turned up the volume as loud as it would go, and set the CD player and headphones down next to her before pressing "play". The music began, a slight buzz accompanying it as it drifted from the headphones. The rat stirred slightly, but didn't wake up. Just so he'd hear it, Tohru leaned down, brushing brown hair back behind her ear, and whispered gently into his ear, "I'm so happy that you want the sun back. Sweet dreams."

And she sat there with Yuki until the sun rose, tinging the sky pale blue with its warmth.

**I've decided this should be over by at least Ch 16, so I have around three chapters left to bring down Akito, conclude the pairings, and make sure it all makes sense...sort of. The song at the end that Tohru is playing is "Gabriel's Oboe". I know, I know, classical music is for geeks, but whatever...I like classical music. And SOME rap (Fort Minor: Yes. 50 Cent? NO.) Is that too hard to believe? Well, believe it. **


	14. Chapter 14

**...No comment...**

**Disclaimer: Okay. I'm getting tired of saying this: I DO NOT OWN FRUITS BASKET ALREADY!!!**

Chapter 14:

Kyo swallowed back about three thousand words and shook Tohru and Yuki. First thing in the morning, he gets waken up by that stupid Yankee on top of him, screaming for him to get up and that her precious Tohru is gone and he had to help find her. _Now_. The brown-haired girl began to groan slightly, and Kyo stopped shaking her, sitting back on his feet. Never mind that it was drizzling outside. Never mind that Kyo wanted to go back to sleep because of jet-lag. Never mind that Kyo knew they were probably on the roof anyway. Oh _no_. He _had_ to get up _now_. Tohru finally opened her eyes, not recognizing the cat for a moment before trying to sit up. She failed, mostly because Yuki's head was resting on her abdomen. _Damn rat. Damn, cold, heartless rat._ Kyo stomped the thoughts out in his head and held back another thousand words, only releasing tersely, "Yankee and Goth Freak panicking. I'd wake Pretty Boy up and get downstairs before they smash another one of Shigure's desks."

The girl nodded and shifted the silver-haired boy's head from her stomach and adjusted herself into a kneel to wake the fore-mentioned teen up. Yuki opened one gray eye, looked at the pale, colorless sky and muttered something about planting techniques before closing it again. Tohru repressed her responding giggle and said again, this time slightly louder, "Yuki-kuuuuun!" There was no response, just the wind moving more silvery strands about the rat's head. _He looks kinda dead until you notice his chest is rising and falling. Even so..._The orange-haired boy crouched down next to the brunette, and complained loudly, already dreading the results, "Tohru! I'm serious! Shigure's stuff is in stake here! Leave him! He's bein' a selfish rat a-"

The rest of his sentence was lost as a white hand curled itself into a fist and landed a precise hit into Kyo's jaw, making the cat fall backwards further up the roof. Tohru glanced at the cursing injured cat worriedly before turning her attention back to the task at hand. Nothing about Yuki had changed except for the fist stuck into the air. Otherwise, he was exactly the same: half of his face hidden since he was curled on his side. Tohru used her secret weapon, leaning closer to be sure Yuki heard her.

"Time to wake up, my Sleeping Prince."

That did it. The boy exploded in a puff of purplish-gray smoke into a violently red-faced pure white rat, swimming furiously in the air for one moment before Tohru reached out and caught him. The cat retreated back off of the roof, muttering ominously to himself the entire time. _Well, at least the bastard is awake..._ But Kyo's unfortunate personal hell was yet to end.

"ORANGEY!"

"Aw, go away! It's raining!"

"WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING?! DID YOU FIND HER?!"

"Shut up! Yes, okay? Yes! She's on the roof with Yuki!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOIN' THERE?!"

"Like I'd know! Quilting, for all I care! Now, let me go back to sleep!"

Then something he really wasn't expecting perfected the weirdness. The tall blonde girl threw down her pipe, and kissed him. Her thoughts were along the lines of _Hell yes!_ His were along the lines of _Dammit! This wasn't in my plan for this morning! SOMEBODY WAKE ME UP! _Uo pulled back, a satisfied grin plastered across her face. She'd wanted to do that for ages. Kyo, on the other hand, was just about to give up on finding any sanity in this world. First, damn girls keep fucking _kissing_ him when he thought they hated his guts, and then changing character so quickly, he was seriously beginning to doubt that they were real. But _the Yankee?_

"You-You...You-"

"What of it? Spit it out, Lover Boy!"

"What the heck is with you and giving me freakin' nicknames? ORANGEY? LOVER BOY? KYON-KYON? YOU PEOPLE MAKE NO FUCKING SENSE!"

"But...Kyo..."

"NOW, IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I AM GOING TO SLEEP. WHEN IT RAINS, I DO THAT."

The orange-haired teenager skulked away, not noticing that he was leaving behind the seemingly untouchable Uo with her heart torn out and bleeding. He hadn't even noticed that she'd called him by his real name. For the first time. Ever. The blonde grit her teeth angrily, about to punch something, but she repressed the thought, substituting the action with bending down to pick up her faithful iron pipe. For once, just once, couldn't a guy bloody like her? Sure, she was masculine. And intimidating. And strangely obsessed with her two friends, but, Jesus, she had _feelings_. Most of the time they had been revolving around Tohru and everything Tohru related, but about two years ago, her thoughts had begun to wander...towards the only person who had ever dared spitting back. Damn it all. She was crying. _Strong girls don't cry, strong girls don't cry...C'mon Arisa, strong girls don't cry!... _Strong girl or not, Uo receded into the woods and cried. And if that fucking orange-top ever came within two feet of her again, he was either dead, or going to lose his virginity. And it was right about then that Kyo slumped into his pillow and thought single-mindedly about sleeping before it hit him. _DAMMIT! FOR GOD'S SAKE, I COULD HAVE WARNED MYSELF ABOUT THAT EARLIER! YOU KNOW, BEFORE SHE KISSED ME AND I FUCKIN' SHOVED HER OFF! HOW THE HELL DID I END UP LIKING HER ANYWAY?! GODDAMN BI- _Any further thoughts were immediately killed by him falling dead asleep.

**Author: (cough) Sorry, I just HAVE to say this because I've always wanted too... MEANWHILE, BACK ON THE ROOF...I didn't need to say it, I just wanted too...(stuffs geek-self into small cage)**

Yuki sat down on Tohru's palms and draped his rat-tail across his stumpy legs. _Any minute now... _He looked up at the brunette and coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. Even if he was someone of such high poise, no matter how hard he tried, whenever Tohru directly called him "Prince"...well...

"Tohru, you should probably put me down. I'll be changing back in any inconveniently placed moment."

"It's okay!"

"No, Tohru, really."

"It's worth it!"

The white rat tilted his head to the side, curious.

"What is?"

The girl holding the white rat blushed.

"N-Nothing, it's just...you're so cute when you're a rat!"

For such a simple sentence, it came down on the silver-haired boy like a ton of bricks. It was another one of those things that escaped his carefully checked manner. Yuki _detested _being called cute. He knew it was a way of expressing love, as Tohru herself had told him so long ago, but the truth still stood: _anytime _he was called cute, he was usually being mistaken for a girl. _But in this case, I think I can stand it..._Listlessly, his thoughts drifted. Until he noticed the position of the sun.

"Tohru! What time is it?"

"I-I don't know."

"We have to get downstairs!"

"Why?"

As usual, the curse took the perfect "inconveniently placed moment" to change Yuki back. Almost automatically, by the clearing of the smoke, Tohru had thrown Yuki's clothes in his general direction and buried her head in her arms against the roof. _Goddamn curse choosing to deactivate right when Tohru asked me a question. _Once he'd pulled his undershirt and dojo pants on, he called over his shoulder, "I'm decent!" Tohru shifted into a kneeling position and glanced cautiously his way before turning to him. He didn't bother with the top two buttons of his shirt, adjusted the thread-bare cuffs, and answered calmly, like nothing had even happened, "The downfall of Akito. Hatsuharu said meet him here at five in the morning."

"Oh. Breakfast! Up-chan and Hana-chan! Laundry! Five o' clock?"

"Relax, Tohru. Believe me when Haru will be late. I don't think he's ever woken up before six in his life."

With that, Yuki stood up, and offered his hand to Tohru along with one of his usual somewhat translucent morning smiles. He helped her up onto her feet, but didn't go of her hand as the two carefully picked their way along the roof. Her clumsiness plus his morning lack of balance raised the likelihood of one or both of them falling from the roof. They climbed down the ladder, Tohru first, and stood there mindlessly for one moment before taking off into the house. As soon as their feet hit the floor, they were met with a barrage of comments.

"TOHRU! THANK GOD! WHERE WERE YOU!?"

"Tohru has returned. Perv-...Shigure-san, your mind is safe."

"Thank you Hana-chan. Ah, my lovely flower and Yun-Yun! What were you two doing alone?"

Tohru answered Uo, already fretting about the implied threat Hana-chan had given Shigure, and Yuki just glared at Shigure. He chose to remain silent. Conversation wasn't his strength in the early hours, and his insults were even less graced. He bowed, excused himself, and practically sprinted into his room for cover. He didn't want to answer Shigure's question. He didn't want to hear Hanajima make blunt threats. He didn't want to see Uotoni fawning over Tohru, even though he could tell from her red eyes she had been crying recently. Most of all, what he wanted to do was sleep. Okay, okay, that's what he wanted _physically_, but morally, he wanted everyone to stop being so goddamn _nice_.

In any short period of time, he would be coming face-to-face with something unspoken. And all of this compassion, this...this..._caring _made him want to scream. Everybody was so goddamn comforting, but that didn't solve shit. It made him feel like he was separate from them. Something to feel pity for. The freak boy/rat that couldn't look at artistic calligraphy without throwing up. The freak rat/boy who was so above everyone else, he wouldn't let girls who had just poured out their hearts to him hug him. Because that wasn't him. That was the result of him. The faint, shriveled shadow of what he was supposed to be. Rather like a flower that preferred sun who was planted in the shade. _Great. First I'm a scab, then I'm flower. I've got to stop using metaphors for myself. _Gray eyes screwed shut, he hid his face in his blanket. _So much black. So much hate. So much anger. So much fear. It wasn't mine, but he MADE it mine. I had to take it. was the closest to him, so I had to take it. Take it back. It wasn't mine, and I didn't want it. Take it back. Take it back. Take it back. _A soft hand touched his upper back, and Yuki stiffened. Someone was here with him. Tohru tucked some of hair behind his ear and said quietly, "Hey,"

"Honda-san, please...I don't..."

"Sohma-kun, you don't have to."

He winced, realizing he'd switched back to his original formalities. Reptant, he pulled himself into a technically vertical position and added, "I'm sorry. Tohru. Tohru Tohru Tohru Tohru. There." She smiled minutely and replied, "That would be me. And I can't say I know how you feel, because I don't. But, please, believe me when I say you don't have to go away to feel. Show me."

"Okay. Tohru, not Honda-san, did you notice?"

"Notice what, Yuki-not-Sohma-kun?"

"Uotoni-san had been crying."

"Yes, I noticed."

"Do you know why?"

"No, but I'm worried. I've almost never seen Uo-chan cry before. It must have been something horrible."

"I would think so. Tohru..."

It was only a moment. Just that one moment that she saw it. She didn't know. Maybe she'd always known it was there, but hadn't looked close enough to see it. In that one word, her name, she could see it. Its dark walls, its bottomless floor, and its never-ending expanse that swallowed up any joy. And he was just there, as he always was, somewhere in that place, calling out for someone. Something. Anything. Before, it had been friends. Then, it had been family. And now, it was comfort. More specifically, her. Tohru.

"Y-Yes?"

"Nothing Akito says is true. Nothing."

Tohru realized her hands were frozen, one still on his back, the other on his shoulder. Yuki sounded like he was warning her, preparing her for something horrible. But underneath it all, he was trying to convince himself. He wasn't sure of it.

"None of it, right? None of it!"

"Yuki..."

Suddenly, he controlled it. And the panic sank back underneath, stored away until it would wither away. Perhaps it was best. Yuki unclenched his hands, letting the blanket go, and tried to smile. He failed, but Tohru knew he was trying. He was saving it for Akito. He had been saving it fro Akito for years. And, soon, he could let it out. Quite possibly the most destructive thing among human beings: pure, unfiltered, unrefined, unconfined anger. A wave of fear rippled down Tohru's spine. _Is is okay to let him save it? Does Yuki have enough anger to...to...kill Akito-sama? _But his next words sent relief after it.

"We're fine, Tohru. Nothing could ever make it otherwise. Not when you're near me. And definitely not when I'm near you."

To a normal person in a normal relationship, that would just be glorified words, just something to say. But it was true in this situation. It wasn't a gesture of love. It was deeper than that; a statement of pure attachment. And it wasn't false. As Tohru kissed his forehead to take her leave, she knew it wasn't.

--

The front gate to the Sohma main house was big. Let alone intimidating. Tohru checked her hair ribbon again nervously. The fact that the crimped cream bow was perfect was a sign of her unease. Beside her, Yuki followed her example, tugging self-consciously at cuffs of his shirt, carefully picking up his feet so his shoes weren't scuffed. Akito wouldn't even see his street shoes, but it was a habit. No matter how much he hated Akito, whenever he came within a mile of him, Yuki couldn't help but try to obtain his best. On Tohru's other side, Hatori appeared perfectly calm, but in his head, he was erasing Kana's memories over and over and over again. He had to stop Akito. It was worth it. It was for Kana. It always had been for Kana. He knocked on the gate impatiently, and silently, Momiji opened it. A rarity. Yuki swallowed, and stepped into the inner grounds, everything gray in the winter morning. Momiji closed the gate again behind them just as silently, and disappeared from whence he came.

The halls were equally deserted. No noise, just the muffled sounds of socked feet hitting wood. With every step, Yuki could feel his heart plunging into a faster rhythm. He knew the way in the maze of hallways. It was the only path he'd ever taken when he entered this portion of the house. His feet took him there, and with each step, parts of his hope faded. Something he had learned to do as a child: _erase all hope before you reach Akito. It'll make it hurt less. _And to some extent it worked. He looked up. They were at the door. The dreaded door. Hatori hesitated for a moment, hoping Yuki might knock, but reached out and rapped the wall near the paper door.

"Hatori, enter."

The voice was chilling. Calm, perhaps somehow affectionate. But the razor undertone dislodged any sense of pleasure. Tohru took Yuki's hand, and the disappeared into the semi-lit room after Hatori.

"Ah! Yuki! Tohru Honda! Why do I have the pleasure of seeing you two as well?"

No one replied, just kneeled. Akito hadn't expected an answer, but something was wrong with the way his Yuki was looking at him. Something had changed.

"Hatori?!"

"Somebody explain!"

Akito was already beginning to lose his temper. There was silence after the outburst, and the three people on the other side of the room didn't move. The head of the Sohma family threw himself down onto the floor, shifted onto his side so that he was facing them, and waited. Finally, it was Yuki who spoke.

"Akito. The zodiac have come to a decision. We are removing you from the head position of the family. Collectively, we've been abused in all manners by you, and we feel it necessary to remove the power of further doing so from you. Will you comply?"

"You can't! You can't get rid of me!"

"As you seem unwilling to comply, actions will be taken against you."

Akito stood up, strode over to the three, and crouched. Slowly, his pale fingers reached out and traced Yuki's jaw. He purred gently, "Yuki, Yuki...You can't do that. You know it can't be done. All that waits at the end is more pain..." The fingernails scraped across the skin, a thin line of blood following them. Yuki stiffened, but his face remained impassive. "Come now, Yuki...We've so many things that we have left to do together. And Hatori," Akito turned his head to look at the dark-haired man on Yuki's left. "Hatori, you wouldn't dare hurt me, would you? You're all too precious for me to give up so easily. If you take back what you just said, I might be able to forgive you..."

There was no reply. Hatori just staring ahead, seeing other things. Akito's eyes narrowed dangerously, and his fingers grabbed the front of Yuki's shirt, curling into a fist. But something _had_ changed. Suddenly, Yuki's gray eyes flashed, and he pushed Akito away from him.

"Get away from me!"

"Dearest Yuki, that wasn't very nice at all. You're making me angry. And you know what happens when I'm angry."

"You have no right! Stay away from me! From Honda-san! From Hatori! From Kisa and Hiro! From Rin and Kyo and Hatsuharu and _everyone_!"

With that, Yuki leaped to his feet, quickly followed by Akito and Hatori. For one moment, tense silence drifted across the room, and then Akito said, "How disappointing, Yuki. I see you simply won't submit. It's a shame, because I love you so much. I love all of you so much, and yet, here you are-"

"Bullshit. It's all bullshit. Nothing you ever say is true. But you know that. You need to take it back. Take it all back."

"Yuki, it's all true. If it weren't would I have told you?"

"TAKE IT BACK!"

In three words, Yuki managed to pump everything he felt and convey it. He practically screamed the words, his entire body straining to release it all at once. Yuki didn't even try holding it back this time.

"TAKE IT ALL BACK! ALL OF IT! EVERY WORD! EVERY TOUCH! EVERY DAY! EVERY NIGHT! EVERY YEAR! I DON'T WANT IT! TAKE IT ALL BACK!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME! DISGUSTING VERMIN!"

Yuki had never dared to hit Akito. It was a self-restriction that helped him distinguish himself from Akito, even though every time Akito spoke of him, Yuki could feel the primitive feeling boiling his blood. But any control had been lost. Before Hatori could even react, Yuki had reached out and slapped Akito. Not one of those half-meant blows he used on Kyo. This time, he'd been saving up for it. The pure force made Akito crash into a wall, his guard totally discarded. For a moment, the slight man slumped against the wall, shocked, but quickly stood back up, smiling cruelly. He knew Yuki was stronger than him. So he used his last weapon against the rat.

"There are so many things I could do to her..."

The silver-haired boy froze, and glanced hastily back at the brunette, who, although she hadn't moved, was shivering slightly. Her fingers were digging into the fabric of her skirt, clutched so tightly in her grip that her already pale knuckles were deadly-white. _Tohru...what could Akito do to her_? Then the head of the family answered his question.

"Ah, Hatori...you remember your Kana-san? Sweet, loving Kana-san?"

Yuki heard Hatori curse under his breath, and he knew Hatori had finally found a reason to join the physical violence he hated so much. Akito pushed some of his black hair out of his eyes and crooned, "I was so sorry...But now I think she deserved it. That bitch, trying to take my Hatori away from me...And now Tohru-kun as well...But that's what happens when you mess with my zodiac." He leaned slightly to the right so Tohru could see him clearly, and continued, "Tohru-kun...let's see how well you put up when you see your poor Yuki-kun without his eyes. I wonder how you'll put up with the blood, oh so much of the bl-"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"

Simultaneously, Yuki and Hatori attacked the head of the family, eyes blazing. But Haru, Kyo, and Shigure all suddenly came between them and Akito. For one terrifying moment, it looked as if Yuki would be able to breach the security, but Kyo pushed him back.

"RAT BOY! HE ISN'T WORTH IT!"

Yuki forced himself to back away from the clot of people, and nodded silently, gray eyes still burning with rage. He dropped to the floor, breathing heavily from the extra adrenaline, and turned to check on Tohru. For one moment, Akito was relieved. Perhaps it wasn't the entire group of zodiac that wanted to remove him. But any comfort was immediately lost when Kyo spoke those words. _They can't mean it. I'm the reason they exist as they do._ A voice beside Akito's left ear answered his question.

"Akito, you're going to lose everything."

The person in the kimono froze, Hiro at his side.

"We can't forgive you. This is final. This iswar."

And the ram joined the other zodiac, who were all glaring over their shoulders at the Sohma head. It was strange that they wanted to protect Akito from Yuki and Hatori when every single one of them wanted to kill him themselves. Finally, Tohru spoke up from behind the Sohma zodiac.

"They really do mean it, Akito-sama."

"You don't know what you're in the middle of, idiotic girl!"

"Maybe I don't know everything, but I know enough."

It was the first time the zodiac, excluding Yuki, had ever heard Tohru sound definite.

Hiro spoke the disturbing words as the people filed out, backs to the head of their family.

"Akito, you're going to die."

And they locked him in his room along with his evils.

Outside of the room, Uo and Hana glanced around themselves uncomfortably, unsettled by the unusual quiet this wing of the Sohma house possessed. The door slid open, and the zodiac all walked out, Tohru in the very front. Hana drew back, already knowing the situations and feelings of everyone by their waves. But Tohru noticed her trying to move away and brought back closer with a "Hana-chan!" Reluctantly, the black-haired girl joined Tohru and Uo in the center of the group. The older zodiac were talking seriously in hushed voices, Hiro close by so he could listen in. Haru and Kyo, all dislike for each other forgotten, were speaking in an urgent way with each other, both making furious hand gestures. _Nobody knows what they thought they do_. Yuki concluded his observation of his present family and turned his attentions back to Tohru and her friends. He said in the most polite voice he could think of, "Uotoni-san, Hanajima-san...what exactly are you doing here?"

"Us? Oh, we were just-"

"Sohma-san."

Hana's tone of voice didn't make the name sound like a question. But none-the-less, everyone looked over at her. The black-haired girl shook her head and strode over to Hatsuharu, where she raised herself up on her tip-toes to say something into his ear. The ox's eyes widened, and he shook his head. Suddenly, "Goth Freak" had replaced Kyo in Haru's conversation. Dejected, the orange-haired cat wandered over to Tohru and Uo.

"Oy, Yank,"

"...Yeah? What?"

"Can I talk to ya?"

"You are, genius."

"Nah, well, yeah. But I meant...in private, ya know?"

"Oh. Yeah."

Tohru stood between them, unable to decide who was redder. Finally, she understood the situation and went off to join Yuki somewhere else. As she left, she looked over her shoulder past her brown hair, confused but happy. _I was wondering, and now I know...Good luck, Uo-chan. You deserve something, after all that you've done for me. _She slipped her hand into Yuki's, making him blush slightly, and let the somehow comforting silence reign. The brunette smiled up at the rat, and he smiled back, trying not to think about everything else. It was so easy to think everything was perfect when Tohru was smiling. And unfortunately, she seemed to be able to make that uncannily true. Yuki reached out with his other hand, brushing some of her bangs from her eyes. The reason why Akito had singled out Yuki was because he was perfect. He singled out Tohru even more because she wasn't. She wasn't perfect. She always won't be perfect. And it was wonderful.

Akito could hear their voices fading down the hallway as the group left. They were leaving him, and they weren't coming back. Mindlessly, she began to chew on a bit of hair, managing to pull the strands form his scalp. _This isn't freedom! I'm the one locked in my room, just as I am locked in this position, this house. _If the zodiac were to leave him, then there would be nothing left for him to control. Control is empowering. Empowering is power, of course. And power leads to freedom. _They just don't understand. Their purpose is to serve me. And I'm..._

_Unsatisfied._

_They're negligent to their duties as part of the Inner Sohma family. Therefore, their only purpose has been obliterated. They have no reason to exist. And that's..._

_Unforgivable._

_So let them fight me. Let them do as they wish! It won't make a difference! The bird will remain caged, no matter if the bars are bamboo or gold. I no longer need them. And I'm..._

_Unconquerable._

_THAT is true freedom..._

_And I want to be free..._

She looked at the locked door angrily. Then, finally, something occurred to him that she'd never thought of before.

_But...what IS freedom? And does it have a cost? Of course it does; your life. They're free, you aren't. They're free because of you. And that's..._

_Unthinkable._

**Okay. remember the confusing possessive pronoun thing in ch 13? It applies here, except when Akito is in the zodiac's presence, she is always referred to in masculine form. And I'll finish this part in ch 15, most likely. Otherwise, I have nothing to say. Only two chapters left...(15 16)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Welcome to the second to last chapter of my first Yukiru fic...I think...I'm going to try and conclude Akito's arc, but I may fail horribly. So, just stick with me here. **

**Disclaimer: ****I.D.O.F.B.! (Guess...)**

Chapter 15: The Last Chapter Didn't Have A Title Either! HA!

Tohru grinned at herself in the mirror. She looked like she was an actual soldier, with the combat boots and dark camouflage. Her only concern was the short skirt of the ensemble. But Ayame had insisted it would be best for her to wear the outfit to invade the Sohma Main House at night. She frowned, tugging at the neck-line of the dress, and checked her ponytail one last time. Then she reached out to the lamp on her desk beside the mirror, and switched off the light. Humming to calm her nerves, she stepped down the stairs to the already waiting group of zodiac. For one moment, no one moved. And then Kisa squealed along with Ayame and Momiji, while everyone else coughed and looked away.

"Onee-chan! That is so pretty! Where did you find a costume like that?!"

"Sie aussehen so goldig! Ist? Jene ein neu Ausstattung, Tohru-chan?"

"Tohru-chan! I knew Haru's latest brain-child would look perfect on your body-type!"

Tohru blushed, noting Kyo and Yuki's angry but flustered faces, and glanced down at the ensemble worriedly. She took off the black kid-gloves and said, "Haru? Did you make this?" The ox, feeling four holes being burned into his skull by Yuki and Kyo, nodded, and added quickly, "But I didn't mean for you to wear it! Not on RAFP-Night! Ayame...What did you tell her?!"

Awkward silence reared its ugly head, then Tohru stammered, "I-Is this okay to w-wear?" Yuki stepped forward, careful not to let his eyes trail away from her face, and replied, "It's very nice, Tohru..." Shigure sniggered somewhere, but was quickly physically silenced by someone else. Willing himself to not to break down into a Shigure-like reaction, Yuki continued, "...But we're going to be moving around a lot, and I don't want anything to get, um...exposed or caught on anything else. Do you own any pants?"

Ayame pouted, displeased by his "Yuki-bozu's" reaction, and answered Yuki's question for her [Tohru. He flipped his braid over his shoulder, and declared loudly, "I am absolutely sure that Tohru-chan had no slacks to wear. She can wear a pair of my patented-" Yuki calmly reached over his shoulder and covered his brother's mouth. He looked back at Tohru curiously, almost as if he wasn't making the snake asphyxiate.

"I-I don't..."

"That's okay; you can wear a pair of mine, Tohru. I'll find some. Come with me, please."

The silver-haired teen released his brother, and led Tohru back up the stairs, glaring over his shoulder once at Shigure, Haru, and Ayame, as if to say _I'll deal with you three later_. Tohru stopped outside of Yuki's room, and looked at her combat-boot-covered feet, waiting for permission to enter. The rat stopped next to her, waiting for her to go in first. They stood there like that for a solid minute before Yuki said awkwardly, "Tohru...you can go in..."

"Huh? Oh! R-Right..."

He turned the door knob and pushed the door forward, going in first to flick on the desk lamp, which was the only source of light in his entire room. He tended not to need much light anyway, on account of his improved night-vision from having a genetic connection to nocturnal creatures. Besides, he usually was asleep before 9 pm, so he didn't need the light long anyway. Yuki stepped away from his desk and quickly surveyed his room. It wasn't _that _messy, but he wished he had thought to clean his room earlier that day. He stepped over a small stack of library books, and motioned with his head for Tohru to follow. The rat made his over to his dresser, carefully avoiding the various piles of junk he wished he hadn't deposited in such inconvenient places. Upon reaching their goal unscathed, Yuki pulled out the bottom drawer, and reached into the very back. Aware of Tohru's gaze on the back of his head, he unearthed three pairs of pants, probably from his uniforms through Middle School. He looked at them, in all of their faded-black glory, and muttered, "Why do I even still _have _these?"

"Did you say something, Yuki?"

"No...Try these. Sorry that they're so old, but I'm taller than you right now, so..."

"It's okay!"

She took the bundle of somewhat rumpled pants from him and stumbled off towards the bathroom to change. Yuki leaned back, watching her brown ponytail whip around the corner, and sighed, glaring accusingly at his legs. _Stupid legs. Why can't I be shorter? _His thoughts were cut off by a wail of despair. Looking up, Yuki recognized Tohru's voice. She silenced for a moment, then called out in a muted tone, "Yuki?" The rat stood up, and exited his room, managing to trip over almost everything on the floor. He somehow reached the bathroom door, and answered in the same tone.

"Yes, Tohru?"

"Um...Could you go get me a sh-shirt?"

The rat flushed, more Shigure-like images creeping through the edges of his mind, and he answered, "Yes," before slipping into Tohru's room. He opened her armoire, and quickly flipped through her tops, trying to find a dark-colored one. Finally, stuck in the very corner, he recognized the black long-sleeved shirt she had been given. He faintly recalled it was Ayame who had forced it upon her, and scanned it warily for holes or other strange things. Concluding the shirt was absolutely normal, the rat closed the doors or the armoire hurriedly and snuck back up the dark hall. He reached the bathroom door, and knocked softly.

"I have it, Tohru."

"Thank you! Um..."

The door was thrown open, and Tohru grabbed the shirt from the totally overwhelmed Yuki before shutting the door again. The boy's gray eyes widened slightly, remembering the last time he had seen Tohru in her bra, and then he thumped himself in the back of head with his own palm. It was _not _the time to think about kissing Tohru. Yuki shook his head in disgust at himself, and walked back to his room, where he proceeded to pick up the random objects strewn across his floor. A few moments later, Tohru appeared again, wearing the faded black slacks and the shirt. She muttered a small "Thank you," accompanied with the usual blush, and handed the other two pairs of pants back to Yuki, who carefully stowed them in the back of his bottom drawer. He shut the drawer, and stood up. He helped the brunette stand, and said in his steady voice, "We should go back down."

Tohru nodded, and followed Yuki out of his room, looking back at it before he shut the door. She closed her eyes, etching every detail, every inch of that room into her mind. It was important that she remember everything. She didn't want to forget. She never wanted to forget. And then the door closed.

"Tohru,"

There he was again, stranded among the abyss, calling out for her. She didn't want to forget that either. She didn't want to forget the way Yuki said her name; almost like it was a piece of glass. Fragile, but to be admired. To been looked at, but never touched until you carefully held it in your hands, feeling its cool, smooth surface against your skin. And yet, even though he couldn't escape from the abyss, whenever he said her name, she could tell he was reaching out for the sun. He wanted the sun. And he wanted her to notice that somehow, he was going to get out. He would stand in the sunlight, and be with her.

"Tohru, it's time to go."

Kyo-kun. Kyo-kun with his fortress of prejudice and violence, protecting himself from being hurt again. Somewhere behind those thick stones, he was cowering, wishing he could find a door or a window. A way out. She could tell that the stones were crumbling away, but there was so much of it left. But it didn't matter. He always managed to speak loud enough through the wall for her or Uo-chan or anyone else to hear. He was trying.

"Shigure, Ayame, do you think you can be serious?"

Hatori-san, who lost everything. His love was executed, his patients harmed by the one person he faithfully remained behind, and yet, he never could blame Akito for it. But, finally, he seemed to realize that Kana wasn't gone. She had been married off, but she wasn't gone. Just because the winter comes and kills the flowers doesn't mean that those flowers remain forever dead. When the snow melts, it becomes spring once more.

"Of course, 'Tori!"

Shigure-san, hiding behind a perverted exterior so no one would think he wasn't confident in who he was. Ayame-san, ripped away from his younger brother purely because of what they were, and what they became. Realizing too late that he'd killed any chance of ever being true family to the little big-eyed boy he'd neglected, even ignored, so long ago.

"Ich bin so aufgeregt! Gibt man etwas ich könnt ausführen zu abhelfen Sie?"

Momiji-kun, having to live in so close to his mother and sister when they don't even know they're directly related. Having to pretend he doesn't love his sister and mother deeply just so that his mother wouldn't lose her mind. Pretending like his father isn't his father, and staying around in the Sohma building, just to catch a glimpse of family he had taken away from him.

Hiro, hiding his love for Kisa so that Kisa would not be hurt by Hiro's own rebellious nature. Hatsuharu, and Rin, leaving each other so quickly that neither even knew what had happened, other than that Akito had torn Rin apart. Tohru saw each little world behind every word, every gesture. And she was determined to bring them out of those little worlds.

"Let's go."

The Sohmas and Tohru walked off into the night. Uo and Kyo were the last ones out, sharing a quick kiss in the darkened house before ducking out into the silent world watched by the star-studded sky. In the very front, Yuki and Tohru spoke softly to each other, absorbing as much of each other's presence as they could. Who knew how much longer Tohru would call him "Yuki"? Somewhere in the center of the group, Hana fell into step with Haru, and began to intrude upon the upper frequency of his waves.

_-Sohma-san._

_-SHIT! GET! OUT!_

_-Do you remember what I told you about Akito-sama's waves?_

_-Um..._

_-For starters, I am absolutely certain that Akito runs on four frequencies, even more complex than yourself. From what I was able to analyze while she was talking to Tohru-chan and Sohma-kun was-_

_-Hold up. Akito's a GIRL?!_

_-You didn't know. Interesting..._

_-Akito is a GIRL?!_

_-Aren't we articulate tonight._

_-Whatever. Continue, please._

_-Akito-sama runs on four frequencies, falling into two categories. His main to categories are "Male" and "Female". Under each of these frequencies are two different sub-lengths, which are similar to yours. She has a "Male White", a "Male Black", a "Female White", and a "Female Black". It appears that the most used frequencies are his "Male" categories, almost as if she wants to hide his gender._

_-Shit..._

_-Oh. And one last thing..._

_-What now?_

Pulling out of Haru's thoughts, Saki stopped him in the street, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed him. On the lips. The ox blinked, and then she disengaged, already walking again. Her waves overlapped his once more.

_-Just in case, Hatsuharu Sohma..._

Then she was gone from his mind.

_-Shit._

--

Akito looked at his hands. They were so thin, so pale. And yet, she wasn't weak by any standard of the word. But it was all worthless. _The bird never tries to free itself. It sings and sings, hoping someone will hear it. The bird is a pathetic creature. It cannot help itself; only sing its poignant song so it will be heard and freed_. She was just like that caged bird. And all that she had been doing was singing and singing. Reaching out with these hands, _his_, no, _her_ hands, and scratching a mark upon this world she possessed, but had no control over. _What is freedom? _

Akito looked at the only thing in his room: a single bamboo bird-cage she recalled making when she was eight or nine. Inside it, over the years, there had been various birds. The Sohma Head had been trying to find a bird that would survive once locked away in the dark. None had._ None. _She lifted his face to the dark ceiling, and whispered, finger-nails digging welts into his own palms, "I just want to be free." Akito winced slightly as the pain reached his brain, and his right hand relaxed. She lifted it up, as if she was wishing to reach something, but was too weak to even get close.

"That's all I ever wanted. I know you're listening. You like watching me sing, don't you? Of course you do; you're a jackass, aren't you, God? Jackasses like that sort of thing. I would know, wouldn't I? God, what are you doing to this poor bird, hm?"

The hand dropped back into his lap, staining the blue robe an ugly purplish-brown.

"Oh _God_..."

She finally released the left hand, letting it fall to the tatami mat, red blood pooling around it.

"_What did _I_ do to _my_ birds_!?"

**Author: Okay, usually, I would end a chapter here, considering the length and the emotional content. But, since I've PROMISED to finish this in two chapters, I shall continue...Um...Music...Try "What I've Done" by Linkin Park, "The Complex" from Blue Man Group, and "Yuki Love Tohru" by...Crap. You can't hear that one...Okay, sorry to interrupt...Read on...**

Hatori pulled the crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, and cleared his throat. Unable to read the kanji in the darkness, he stepped out of the middle of the road, and stood under a street-lamp, trying to discern his own handwriting. Finally, he read the contents off calmly.

"Group A: Tohru-kun, Yuki, and myself. Group B: Haru, Shigure, and Hanajima-san. Group C: Kyo, Uotoni-san, and Hiro. Does everyone understand?"

Black shapes Hatori assumed were various people's heads moved slightly. He pocketed the piece of paper again, and stepped back out into the group. He adjusted his black clothes, already feeling uncomfortable out of his usual three-piece suit. In a slit of pale street-light, Hatori could see he wasn't the only one out of his comfort zone: Tohru was wearing pants after all, and Shigure had abandoned his traditional garb (for once), favoring a black T-shirt and black pants Hatori could swear were from their university years. Once again, they stood before the gates, waiting for Momiji to let them in. Another silent entrance on Momiji's part, even though the boy had to climb a wall and land on the other side. Not to mention open the gate for everyone else. On his way in, Yuki looked up one last time, capturing the night sky in his mind, in case he was deprived of it for a long period of time. Suddenly, all minimal amounts of moonlight was extinguished by a mass of clouds. But before he even had a chance to panic, Tohru slipped his hand into his, and reminded him, "It always comes back, Yuki. It always will; you just have to wait a while."

"...Of course, Tohru. I'm sure..."

"You should be."

They smiled at each other in the dark, neither able to tell that the other was smiling, and followed Hatori into Akito's wing of the Sohma Main House. They knocked on the wall by the door, first softly, then a bit louder. Finally, Kyo walked up, annoyed by how long it was taking, and literally smashed his fist through the door. A voice drifted through it, sounding surreal, "Kyo-kun...How disappointing, really. I was hoping for someone...more _important_ to rattle my cage."

Yuki saw this as permission to enter, and stepped into the dark room, eyes instantly drawn to the frail person curled up next to the gas-lamp and of all things, an empty bird-cage. Behind him, Kyo cursed, already shrugging off the lightly-shielded insult, and stepped back, allowing Haru and Hatori to follow Yuki. Akito lifted his head slightly upon Yuki's entrance, but could not hold it up long enough to even glare at the rat. He pulled his kimono even closer to his form, shirking towards the gas-lamp. Shigure and Hatori took their usual kneeling positions at the opposite end of the room, thirty years of habit forcing them to do so. Yuki just stood, somewhere in between the two groups, before sitting down quickly, crossing his legs. Akito said in that surreal voice, "Ah, Hatori, Shigure, Yuki. It's so nice to see that you've come to re-negociate your terms. I'm sure I can forgive you, as long as..."

The "head" of the Sohma family faded off, the usual cold edge in his voice feebly present.

"Akito...You know why we're here..."

The black-haired person stiffened, then seemed to crumple slightly. He couldn't fight it any longer: the days of confinement had weakened him considerably, he was obviously unwell, and _she _knew she'd done wrong. Akito didn't say anything, just took off the outer layer of the kimono weakly, and said in a small voice, "Yuki...My dearest Yuki...You don't know, do you?"

"Kn-Know what?"

"My gender..."

The silver-haired boy's eyes widened in surprise, and he replied slowly, already knowing his answer was incorrect, "You're a male...Aren't you?"

"No,"

Yuki blinked, and suddenly he saw it. Her. Akito Sohma, woman forced to be a man her entire life. Locked away from any and all things a girl should have, just so that she could appear to be a proper leader. It had twisted her...And made her hate everything else. The woman shivered in her kimono, and spoke out past Yuki to the two zodiac behind him.

"'Gure...'Tori...? Can you free me now? I really tried to fix it...I really did! But all that happened was that everyone was made to hate me...And I hated them, but now...Now I get it! FREE ME!"

She threw her arms out, and stared at them, eyes an abyss of confusion. Shigure and Hatori had always followed her, always been there when someone wasn't. And yet, there they were...

"Free me! Please! I don't want anything else!"

Silence.

"God...YOU'RE SUCH A JACKASS! THIS IS WHAT YOU _LIKE_ DOING TO ME!?"

The dragon were sure Akito wasn't talking to anyone present in the room any more. She had already moved onto illusions from lack of sleep and food. Hatori studied her face again, and came to a different conclusion. She was talking to God, like she knew him. _Of course...she's supposed to represent the God that create the zodiac..._Akito stumbled to her feet, and staggered over to the screen that hid the doors that went to the gardens. She threw them open, face unreadable in the dark, and stood there, pale skin glowing slightly in the drizzling light. Her right hand, covered in crusty flakes of what Hatori figured was her own blood, reached out into the rain. She drew it back quickly as the water made contact with her skin. Akito stepped down and out of the room, right hand trailing along the door's edge for one moment before it disappeared. Then she was off. _I'm free, right? I'm free! I have to be free! I can feel it all! The rain! The moonlight! All of it!_ Akito grit her teeth, repressing what must have been an idiotic grin for someone of her stature and age, and speedily scaled the wall, splashing loudly into a puddle on the other side, spattering her white silk finery with mud before taking off down the paved street.

Behind her, the three Sohma males stared at each other, startled. Hatori began to get up, already thinking of what Akito was going to do to herself, but Shigure was paused at the door. Hatori glanced over at him, noting the conflicted look on the dog's face, and smoothly backed down. Shigure saw the last few seconds playing over and over in his mind. _She's back. She's back. _And he skidded out into the rain after her, yelling out his name for her. The name he used for the little girl he would rock to sleep each night.

"...KITA!"

With that, he followed her foot-prints to the wall, and jumped it, not paying attention to the rain falling. All he knew was that Kita was Kita again, and she was going to die in this cold with only the bottom layer of her kimono on. The man ran, not sure where he was going: Kita had never been truly out of the Sohma Main House before. Not by herself, and not without a car awaiting her. She was going to get lost. And God help him, he was going to find her. And suddenly, there she was, leaning against a wall; white skin and muddy kimono, black hair and covered eyes. Shigure slowed down, wincing as the cold water soaked through his socks and prickled his feet. The woman didn't look up, just stared at her hands, studying the right one with a peculiar interest.

" 'Gure...Am I free now? Am I?"

"Can't you see? You always were. You just locked yourself away."

"But I'm free, right? No one is going to do anything to me ever again, right?"

The dark-haired man sighed, knowing they were just going in circles, and strode over to Akito. He crouched slightly, one arm against her back before knocking her legs out from under her. The woman gasped, but she was lifted off of the ground. She could remember this: 'Gure was doing what he always did. Akito sighed, tucking her two arms against his chest, and let her face bury into the his shoulder. The dog began rocking gently, eyes watering, and said, "I thought you'd never come out, Kita..." The woman smiled and cried into his shoulder at the same time, finally knowing what she had missed so much.

"Yes...I'm back, 'Gure. To stay. Just..."

Her hand tightened on the front of his shirt.

"Just...stay here with me, okay? Never, ever let go."

"I promise..."

The other Sohmas, who had eventually followed Shigure, all crowded around the pair. Black around white. The rain poured down, and for once, no one cared.

**This technically is the last real chapter of my fic. There is an epilogue to conclude everything up, but it's so short (only 1000 or so words!) Here are the final pairings (some so slight you probably didn't notice them):**

**Yuki x Tohru (Okay. If you missed this one, HOW THE HELL ARE YOU A BREATHING HUMAN BEING?!)**

**Kyo x Uo (Yes, yes, I know...Minimal at most. But look for the details, ladies and gents...)**

**Haru x Hana (You'll hear about this more in the epilogue)**

**Shigure x Akito (Not my favorite pairing, but as Shigure says...Que sera sera...)**

**Hiro x Kisa (Also minimal, practically microscopic. But, hey, this is a Yukiru fic, not a HiroxKisa fic...)**

**Hatori x Kana (More about this in the epilogue)**

**...Am I missing any? I don't think so! Chapter 16 (the epilogue) out very very very soon! (Like in three days...) I think this is my second or third longest chapter ever... 3, 652 not counting my comments and such...(I suddenly feel very tired...)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Last chapter, more like an epilogue than anything else (sorry...but this is short). I want to thank everybody for supporting me through this, especially soda's girl, who lasted through the depressing middle section with me.**

**Disclaimer: (The last time I have to say this for this fic!) I do not own Fruits Basket.**

Chapter 16: This Is An Epilogue...

Yuki stared determinately at the silver thing in his hand. God damn him to hell if he didn't manage to cut his hair within the next five minutes. The brunette to his left said for the umpteenth time, "Yuki...Are you sure you don't want me to do it? I know how clumsy you can get and chopping things up for cooking is already a major task for you. Maybe I shoul-" The silver-haired boy turned to smile lovingly at her, and interrupted her in a laughing, but still serious voice, "I promised myself I would do this. That was almost two months ago. Plus, we will be graduating soon, and I don't want you to have to accept your diploma with bandaged cuts all over your hands. I can do this."

Tohru blushed at Yuki's face and words, still not quite used to something she had once pined for him to be every day. He was happy; and openly so. Yes, the curse was still upon him, but it wasn't burden. At last, it didn't matter to him at all. He wasn't afraid to touch her, to stroke the side of her face, or carefully braid her hair, picking strands apart gently with his long fingers. There wasn't a shadow in his eyes that she could not see into. And she was happy, because Yuki was. Tohru couldn't stop herself: she smiled like a complete goof and threw her arms around Yuki, directing a kiss straight to his lips.

The scissors hit the tile floor, and Yuki slowly started to back away, anticipating the transformation. It never came. Surprised, the rat froze, halfway between beaming and hormones. God help him. The result came out in the form of him finally pulling the brunette closer and for the first time, deepening the kiss. He checked mentally. _Nope: definitely not a small rodent_. Tohru blushed for a complex of reasons, and closed her eyes. _Finally. _Another shared thought that was neither Tohru's nor Yuki's. They broke apart, Tohru letting her head rest against his chest. It felt...right. It just felt so right.

Somewhere, off in a different dimension of reality, Yuki heard the front door to Shigure's house open and close. A deeper red that could easily compete with Tohru's spread across his face, and he removed Tohru's grip from himself. He dropped to the floor, using the scissors as an excuse to be embarrassed if someone happened to wander into the kitchen. He stood back up smoothly, and smiled at Tohru again before moving back towards the trash-can. The silver-haired teenager leaned his head forward slightly, and to the right, letting the right side of his hair drape away from his face. The silver scissors flashed, and about two inches of hair fell into the can. Yuki did the same to the left side of his hair, then let his head drop even more. He reached over his shoulder, and trimmed the back of his hair, catching the bits of hair that fell in his left hand. He brushed those of into the trash-can, and quickly cut his bangs until they were almost out of his eyes. He combed through his hair, making sure all of the cut hair was out of it, before turning to face Tohru.

"Did I cut too much off?"

"Nope. It looks exactly like it was when I first met you. Happy now?"

"Very."

Th rat put the scissors back into the organized drawer before taking Tohru's hand. He led her out of the kitchen back into the area with the TV in it. Kyo, Shigure, and Haru looked up at them accusingly. _Since when were these three the Spanish Inquisition? _Ignoring them, Yuki motioned for Tohru to sit down, and quickly followed her. But the pale girl sprang back up immediately, busying herself with tea and nonsense like that. All of the Sohma males winced as the kettle hit the kitchen floor (as usual). Haru tapped his fingers against his leg impatiently, and complained, "When do they get here? They're usually on time!"

He was, of course, speaking of Tohru's friends, who were now regulars for lunch and the afternoon of Sunday. Shigure shook his head, clucking. He admonished, "Now now, let's not be to hasty with our girlfriends everyone." He was instantly focused on by three death glares. Kyo attacked, "Since when are you Mr. Innocent-Holier-Than-Thou, huh?" Shigure made a motion with both of his hands as if to say _Okay, okay, back down_, and just laughed. Two white hands landed on either of his shoulders, and Kita sat down next to him. She pulled at the sweater she was wearing over one of her new dresses, and asked, "Do girls always have to wear this kind of thing?" The dog's laughter increased, and shook his head.

"Hand me those: I can put them in."

Kita handed him the two sliders and allowed him to clip her hair away from her face. She lived with Shigure now; the Main Sohma House being practically abandoned. Now the building was more of a place for family gatherings than anything else. Most of the zodiac had dispersed to their various places, keeping in close contact.

Kagura was in Osaka, teaching (ironically) yoga and learning how to be a psychologist. She was already teaching anger management courses. Rin had accepted a scholarship, and was attending Med School early. She had a boyfriend...What's-his-name Aiyaki. From what they had heard, she had moved in with him. Kisa and Hiro hadn't really done anything, but were known to drift off into their own world when left alone. They were inseparable. Hatori and Kana were dating again after the man she married cheated on her for his secretary. With Akito's (who now only answered to the name Kita) fall from power, her memories had come back at an alarming rate. It had taken Kita, Shigure, and Hatori just to convince her it was never her fault.

Tohru came back into the room, balancing eight cups and a small tea-pot on a tray. She set it down in the middle of the table, and disappeared. She returned with a deck of cards, and set them by the tray, already predicting the some-what chaotic games of Dai Hin Min. Tohru finally sat down, and poured six of the eight cups of tea. She placed a cup before each Sohma and herself, and tucked her feet under the kotatsu. Then the doorbell rang. A pause. Then a chorus of angry doorbell ringings. Exasperated, Kyo got up before Tohru could even move, and returned with the two girls trailing behind. Tohru smiled in greeting to her friends, and poured the last two cups of tea. Hana kissed Haru on the cheek, who protested with a "Saki...!", and sat down next to him. Uo leaned Samuel-kun against the wall and threw her arms around Kyo's neck from behind.

"Orangey, you ready to have your ass kicked again? Just because I'm you girlfriend doesn't mean I'm going to be nice!"

"Do what you want, just don't hug me, Yank!"

She laughed, ruffling Kyo's hair. They were a fun couple to be around, even when they progressed into one of their make-out sessions. Those always ended up into bitter spats, which ended in bets, which ended in Uo kicking Kyo's ass in Dai Hin Min. Tohru handed the deck with a sarcastic solemnity to Yuki, who cleanly cut it. He dealed, and mentioned, "The curse is broken." There was shocked silence in response to his declaration. The rat looked at everyone, knowing no one believed him, and turned to hug Tohru. Once again, nothing happened except for predictable blushing on Tohru's part.

"Go ahead: try."

Wary, Uo hugged Kyo. Nothing happened. Hana wrapped her arms around Haru, who protested with another "Saki!". He remained in his human form. Puzzled, Tohru reached over and hugged Shigure, who grinned sloppily before Kita said in a chilling voice that was from her Akito days, "Shigure Sohma, if you are thinking what I think you are thinking, you will be lynched by lunch-time." But he didn't turn into a dog. Kyo said wonderingly, "Why...?"

Yuki answered, "The only reason why the curse existed was to inhibit us, correct? Well, the only way the curse stayed in motion was if it actually had affect on our lives. When Aki-...Kita came back, we all lost any reason to be reminded of the curse. _He_ was all that kept us in that rut. Now that we no longer care, it no longer exists. The curse is broken."

Nobody knew how to react: it wasn't like they ever prepared for this. But Tohru saw it all. Shigure shed his exterior, still perverted, but not because he was using it to hide himself. Kyo broke through the walls. Light streamed into Yuki's abyss, dissolving it for all time. The flowers bloomed for Hatori. Hiro had no barriers between him and Kisa. Yuki, much to his disgust, had spent an entire week with Ayame, "bonding". Who knew that Yuki could put up with the snake for that long?

Momiji...Well, Momiji's memories returned, and she was appalled. But Momiji had already realized the curse was gone, and upon seeing her, hugged her deeply. The woman had tensed up, waiting for the disgusting creature to turn into it's true form. But Momiji never did. She had broken down into tears, realizing what she had done to her son, and taken him back into her home. Momiji had his family back.

Yuki's hand slid into Tohru's as Haru dealed. She looked down, and saw what he had put there. A bracelet, made of opaque, cream-colored glass, the edges shaped in a bumpy pattern. Exactly like the ribbon he had given her on White Day so long ago. She blushed, but accepted it, sliding it carefully onto her wrist before picking up her hand of cards. Everyone noticed it immediately, but said nothing, not knowing what it meant. Only Yuki and Tohru understood it as they did.

There was one thing carved on the inside; a small picture of the sun.

_The sun has returned. Because of you, Tohru, the sun has returned._

**I'll let you translate the bracelet as you will, although I will tell you now: it wasn't a proposal of marriage. As for the bracelet itself, Yuki had tried to make one himself, but failed entirely. Instead, in that week when he was with Ayame, the two managed together to barter someone into making it. The bartering system involved some items in ayame's store, a glass-blower who was low on his money wanting to buy them, and...Well, you get the rest. This would be the single and only reason why Yuki could bear to be around Ayame for that long. I hope y'all had a grand time reading this fic, and I'll consider a sequel, but I highly doubt I will do one. But, if this story is well received, I'll be glad to continue doing Yukiru stories and what-not.**


End file.
